Narrative:

I was operating a flight for air carrier X operating from dtw. While flying the akron 1 departure out of dtw; we were informed by ATC that although we were filed over sphre intersection; we had turned at maars intersection prior to reaching sphre intersection and were given a number to call for a possible deviation. Our airline recently switched chart providers. I understand this company also provides the software for our FMS. The company was made aware of problems with the database in the FMS and had issued a warning to closely check the waypoints on the akron 1 departure out of dtw. Both I and my first officer checked the waypoints and approved the route. Neither one of us knew it skipped sphre intersection until advised by ATC. We thought we missed loading the waypoint until conversations with other pilots and a company memo advised us that sphre intersection may drop out sometime after executing the flight plan. Now; I really cannot say if sphre intersection was missing from the database in the first place; or if it got dumped during resequencing; or a runway change. The only thing I really know for sure is we did not fly over sphre intersection as our flight plan said we should. This problem has happened to many other crews. I understand air carrier X; the chart provider; and the FMS manufacturer are all working on this problem. In a telephone conversation with the ATC controller involved in my flight; I was told there were no traffic conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 FLT CREW REPORTS MISSING THE SPHRE INTERSECTION ON ACO1 DEPARTURE FROM DTW; WITH A TURN AT MAARS DIRECT ACO.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING A FLT FOR ACR X OPERATING FROM DTW. WHILE FLYING THE AKRON 1 DEP OUT OF DTW; WE WERE INFORMED BY ATC THAT ALTHOUGH WE WERE FILED OVER SPHRE INTXN; WE HAD TURNED AT MAARS INTXN PRIOR TO REACHING SPHRE INTXN AND WERE GIVEN A NUMBER TO CALL FOR A POSSIBLE DEV. OUR AIRLINE RECENTLY SWITCHED CHART PROVIDERS. I UNDERSTAND THIS COMPANY ALSO PROVIDES THE SOFTWARE FOR OUR FMS. THE COMPANY WAS MADE AWARE OF PROBS WITH THE DATABASE IN THE FMS AND HAD ISSUED A WARNING TO CLOSELY CHK THE WAYPOINTS ON THE AKRON 1 DEP OUT OF DTW. BOTH I AND MY FO CHKED THE WAYPOINTS AND APPROVED THE RTE. NEITHER ONE OF US KNEW IT SKIPPED SPHRE INTXN UNTIL ADVISED BY ATC. WE THOUGHT WE MISSED LOADING THE WAYPOINT UNTIL CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER PLTS AND A COMPANY MEMO ADVISED US THAT SPHRE INTXN MAY DROP OUT SOMETIME AFTER EXECUTING THE FLT PLAN. NOW; I REALLY CANNOT SAY IF SPHRE INTXN WAS MISSING FROM THE DATABASE IN THE FIRST PLACE; OR IF IT GOT DUMPED DURING RESEQUENCING; OR A RWY CHANGE. THE ONLY THING I REALLY KNOW FOR SURE IS WE DID NOT FLY OVER SPHRE INTXN AS OUR FLT PLAN SAID WE SHOULD. THIS PROB HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER CREWS. I UNDERSTAND ACR X; THE CHART PROVIDER; AND THE FMS MANUFACTURER ARE ALL WORKING ON THIS PROB. IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE ATC CTLR INVOLVED IN MY FLT; I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.