Narrative:

Flight was actually very busy myself and other relief pilot had been working hard to keep up on changing WX conditions in yssy. 5 mins after shift change; we had gotten message that we may have to plan on going to ybbn and use yssy as alternate because yssy WX was below minimums. We conferred with the captain before he went to sleep. Captain got up after 3 hours and we updated him on plan of action. Dispatcher would be in touch with us along route and specifically as we approached ybbn. We decided that we would use beads as our point to hold and decide where to go. We figured out a bingo and discussed it with the captain. He returned to the bunk. At XA42Z we received uplink -- an amended route/cleared to marln. Our mistake was not printing it out immediately. The load prompt was there so I attempted to load. The route display showed a 180 degree turn. We knew that was wrong; so we erased it and decided to load manually. Now mind you; at the same time; we are busy with dispatch getting updates on WX in yssy. The PNF printed the message; accepted; and sent. We responded to the uplink at XA44Z. I manually loaded present position direct to marlin; selected abeam points so as to have beads on the map. At the same time XA44Z; ATC uplink/contact brisbane center on 124.625. We responded at XA45Z. Center called us. I answered air carrier X. They asked altitude. I aid FL370 direct marln. They asked; 'are you marln via gordo-shark?' I said 'no; direct marln.' they responded; 'go via gordo-shark.' I said 'roger;' entered it and away we went. Our mistake: not reading entire message. Factors: we were a little tired; dark in cockpit; and definitely preoccupied with a possible divert plan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 FLT CREW RECEIVES CPDLC FROM BRISBANE BUT FAILS TO PRINT IT OUT; RESULTING IN DIRECT TO MARLIN OMITTING INTERMEDIATE WAY POINTS GORDO AND SHARK.

Narrative: FLT WAS ACTUALLY VERY BUSY MYSELF AND OTHER RELIEF PLT HAD BEEN WORKING HARD TO KEEP UP ON CHANGING WX CONDITIONS IN YSSY. 5 MINS AFTER SHIFT CHANGE; WE HAD GOTTEN MESSAGE THAT WE MAY HAVE TO PLAN ON GOING TO YBBN AND USE YSSY AS ALTERNATE BECAUSE YSSY WX WAS BELOW MINIMUMS. WE CONFERRED WITH THE CAPT BEFORE HE WENT TO SLEEP. CAPT GOT UP AFTER 3 HRS AND WE UPDATED HIM ON PLAN OF ACTION. DISPATCHER WOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH US ALONG RTE AND SPECIFICALLY AS WE APCHED YBBN. WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD USE BEADS AS OUR POINT TO HOLD AND DECIDE WHERE TO GO. WE FIGURED OUT A BINGO AND DISCUSSED IT WITH THE CAPT. HE RETURNED TO THE BUNK. AT XA42Z WE RECEIVED UPLINK -- AN AMENDED RTE/CLRED TO MARLN. OUR MISTAKE WAS NOT PRINTING IT OUT IMMEDIATELY. THE LOAD PROMPT WAS THERE SO I ATTEMPTED TO LOAD. THE RTE DISPLAY SHOWED A 180 DEG TURN. WE KNEW THAT WAS WRONG; SO WE ERASED IT AND DECIDED TO LOAD MANUALLY. NOW MIND YOU; AT THE SAME TIME; WE ARE BUSY WITH DISPATCH GETTING UPDATES ON WX IN YSSY. THE PNF PRINTED THE MESSAGE; ACCEPTED; AND SENT. WE RESPONDED TO THE UPLINK AT XA44Z. I MANUALLY LOADED PRESENT POS DIRECT TO MARLIN; SELECTED ABEAM POINTS SO AS TO HAVE BEADS ON THE MAP. AT THE SAME TIME XA44Z; ATC UPLINK/CONTACT BRISBANE CTR ON 124.625. WE RESPONDED AT XA45Z. CTR CALLED US. I ANSWERED ACR X. THEY ASKED ALT. I AID FL370 DIRECT MARLN. THEY ASKED; 'ARE YOU MARLN VIA GORDO-SHARK?' I SAID 'NO; DIRECT MARLN.' THEY RESPONDED; 'GO VIA GORDO-SHARK.' I SAID 'ROGER;' ENTERED IT AND AWAY WE WENT. OUR MISTAKE: NOT READING ENTIRE MESSAGE. FACTORS: WE WERE A LITTLE TIRED; DARK IN COCKPIT; AND DEFINITELY PREOCCUPIED WITH A POSSIBLE DIVERT PLAN.

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.