Narrative:

Just a plain typo (or is it plane typo). On check-in with ZLC from ZDV we were given a modified route clearance. Slc: 'for military airspace; cleared direct tonopah; that's tango papa hotel.' PNF: 'roger; cleared direct tonapah; tango papa hotel.' the first officer typed tnp into the dir boxes and asked me to confirm. I looked to the box; but more to the map as the turn was slightly left. I did not fully digest that tnp was in the page or if I did t-n-P kinda said 'tonapah' to my cocoa puff size brain stem. Either way it is clear that parts of the brain above the stem had not received adequate neuro-stimulation; 'cause I flat missed what happened. Slc was sharp and must see this often as when they saw the left turn; they were on us like they had placed a bet on our typing tnp versus tph. We fixed issue and asked if any separation loss had occurred as we saw no TCAS traffic in our area. Slc said; 'no; we were watching and got it fixed with plenty of time.' kidding aside; this was a bad example of 'pilot monitoring' and a good example of 'PNF.' I have relearned that I must view and mentally demand more than a brain stem response from myself. On the distraction's side; we were discussing the future or lack of it for this airline and my first officer is likely to be furloughed. The discussion itself was necessary in my role as captain; but deep discussion; even in easy cruise makes it even easier to miss mistakes like this. Lessons learned were learned well! Respectfully submitted; captain brain-stem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW CLEARED DIRECT 'TPH' INSERTS 'TNP' IN FMC CAUSING TRACK DEV.

Narrative: JUST A PLAIN TYPO (OR IS IT PLANE TYPO). ON CHK-IN WITH ZLC FROM ZDV WE WERE GIVEN A MODIFIED RTE CLRNC. SLC: 'FOR MIL AIRSPACE; CLRED DIRECT TONOPAH; THAT'S TANGO PAPA HOTEL.' PNF: 'ROGER; CLRED DIRECT TONAPAH; TANGO PAPA HOTEL.' THE FO TYPED TNP INTO THE DIR BOXES AND ASKED ME TO CONFIRM. I LOOKED TO THE BOX; BUT MORE TO THE MAP AS THE TURN WAS SLIGHTLY L. I DID NOT FULLY DIGEST THAT TNP WAS IN THE PAGE OR IF I DID T-N-P KINDA SAID 'TONAPAH' TO MY COCOA PUFF SIZE BRAIN STEM. EITHER WAY IT IS CLR THAT PARTS OF THE BRAIN ABOVE THE STEM HAD NOT RECEIVED ADEQUATE NEURO-STIMULATION; 'CAUSE I FLAT MISSED WHAT HAPPENED. SLC WAS SHARP AND MUST SEE THIS OFTEN AS WHEN THEY SAW THE L TURN; THEY WERE ON US LIKE THEY HAD PLACED A BET ON OUR TYPING TNP VERSUS TPH. WE FIXED ISSUE AND ASKED IF ANY SEPARATION LOSS HAD OCCURRED AS WE SAW NO TCAS TFC IN OUR AREA. SLC SAID; 'NO; WE WERE WATCHING AND GOT IT FIXED WITH PLENTY OF TIME.' KIDDING ASIDE; THIS WAS A BAD EXAMPLE OF 'PLT MONITORING' AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF 'PNF.' I HAVE RELEARNED THAT I MUST VIEW AND MENTALLY DEMAND MORE THAN A BRAIN STEM RESPONSE FROM MYSELF. ON THE DISTR'S SIDE; WE WERE DISCUSSING THE FUTURE OR LACK OF IT FOR THIS AIRLINE AND MY FO IS LIKELY TO BE FURLOUGHED. THE DISCUSSION ITSELF WAS NECESSARY IN MY ROLE AS CAPT; BUT DEEP DISCUSSION; EVEN IN EASY CRUISE MAKES IT EVEN EASIER TO MISS MISTAKES LIKE THIS. LESSONS LEARNED WERE LEARNED WELL! RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED; CAPT BRAIN-STEM.

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.