Cleared direct to 'drake;' MD80 flight crew programs airway fix drake vice drk VOR.

Attributes
ACN	798663
Time
Date	200807
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : drk.vortac
State Reference	AZ
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	798663
Person 2
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC cleared us direct to drake; not on our flight plan. I typed in drake and asked the first officer if it looked good. It was over 360 mi away and 10 degrees left. I executed it and continued. A few mins later; ATC called and asked where we were going and we replied direct drake. He reclred us to another point and we complied. Upon further review there is the drake VOR (drk) and a drake point; 300 mi north. This is unacceptable for this to happen with computer generated points and now the use of alpha numeric for points.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRED DIRECT TO 'DRAKE;' MD80 FLT CREW PROGRAMS AIRWAY FIX DRAKE VICE DRK VOR.

Narrative: ATC CLRED US DIRECT TO DRAKE; NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN. I TYPED IN DRAKE AND ASKED THE FO IF IT LOOKED GOOD. IT WAS OVER 360 MI AWAY AND 10 DEGS L. I EXECUTED IT AND CONTINUED. A FEW MINS LATER; ATC CALLED AND ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING AND WE REPLIED DIRECT DRAKE. HE RECLRED US TO ANOTHER POINT AND WE COMPLIED. UPON FURTHER REVIEW THERE IS THE DRAKE VOR (DRK) AND A DRAKE POINT; 300 MI N. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN WITH COMPUTER GENERATED POINTS AND NOW THE USE OF ALPHA NUMERIC FOR POINTS.

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.