An aircraft departing iad on the cptal 6 SID selected an incorrect blues intersection and when clear...

Attributes
ACN	804474
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : capital 6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 95 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1605
ASRS Report	804474
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	804471
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication FAA
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On departure out of iad on the capital 6 departure with a blues intersection transition we received a 'descend RA' along with a transmission from departure control to immediately turn left to a heading of 240 degrees. We did have a visual on the other aircraft. This deviation occurred due to having the incorrect 'blues' intersection entered into the FMC so when we were cleared to that intersection after takeoff we headed for the blues in russia some 6000 NM from where we were currently located. This error caused us to make a right turn versus a left turn which would have taken us to the correct blues intersection. This incident occurred at an altitude of approximately 12000 ft MSL while at an assigned airspeed of 250 KTS. Contributing factors: 1) while loading the route into the CDU the captain initially entered the incorrect blues and at that time he indicated he had fixed it. We discussed an e-mail we had received about the possible error of entering the incorrect fix. 2) when I later verified the route; the route page looked perfect and had the route just as listed on our flight plan. I failed however; to check the progress page where I would have discovered the distance error. 3) we never received an 'insufficient fuel' message which would could have alerted us to the error. 4) when we were cleared to the blues intersection I tried to increase the scale on my map display to ensure the captain was heading us to the right location but couldn't seem to find it on my map (perhaps because it was 6000 NM away) but since I was hand flying and as often happens out of iad we were step climbing and leveling off every 2000 ft; I gave up looking and just looked at the captain's CDU which conveniently showed blues; I then confirmed it and we headed that way. 5) after the RA I finally looked at the captain's CDU again and noticed the mileage was way off. Recommendation: since it appears this is not the first time this has happened; I believe that the blues intersection should be renamed or the dispatcher should include a note on the fpf if that is the first assigned fix to ensure the correct blues is loaded.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACFT DEPARTING IAD ON THE CPTAL 6 SID SELECTED AN INCORRECT BLUES INTXN AND WHEN CLEARED DIRECT HAD A TRACK DEV AS THE ACFT HEADED FOR RUSSIA.

Narrative: ON DEP OUT OF IAD ON THE CAPITAL 6 DEP WITH A BLUES INTXN TRANSITION WE RECEIVED A 'DSND RA' ALONG WITH A XMISSION FROM DEP CTL TO IMMEDIATELY TURN L TO A HDG OF 240 DEGS. WE DID HAVE A VISUAL ON THE OTHER ACFT. THIS DEV OCCURRED DUE TO HAVING THE INCORRECT 'BLUES' INTXN ENTERED INTO THE FMC SO WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO THAT INTXN AFTER TKOF WE HEADED FOR THE BLUES IN RUSSIA SOME 6000 NM FROM WHERE WE WERE CURRENTLY LOCATED. THIS ERROR CAUSED US TO MAKE A R TURN VERSUS A L TURN WHICH WOULD HAVE TAKEN US TO THE CORRECT BLUES INTXN. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT AN ALT OF APPROX 12000 FT MSL WHILE AT AN ASSIGNED AIRSPD OF 250 KTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) WHILE LOADING THE RTE INTO THE CDU THE CAPT INITIALLY ENTERED THE INCORRECT BLUES AND AT THAT TIME HE INDICATED HE HAD FIXED IT. WE DISCUSSED AN E-MAIL WE HAD RECEIVED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE ERROR OF ENTERING THE INCORRECT FIX. 2) WHEN I LATER VERIFIED THE RTE; THE RTE PAGE LOOKED PERFECT AND HAD THE RTE JUST AS LISTED ON OUR FLT PLAN. I FAILED HOWEVER; TO CHK THE PROGRESS PAGE WHERE I WOULD HAVE DISCOVERED THE DISTANCE ERROR. 3) WE NEVER RECEIVED AN 'INSUFFICIENT FUEL' MESSAGE WHICH WOULD COULD HAVE ALERTED US TO THE ERROR. 4) WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO THE BLUES INTXN I TRIED TO INCREASE THE SCALE ON MY MAP DISPLAY TO ENSURE THE CAPT WAS HDG US TO THE RIGHT LOCATION BUT COULDN'T SEEM TO FIND IT ON MY MAP (PERHAPS BECAUSE IT WAS 6000 NM AWAY) BUT SINCE I WAS HAND FLYING AND AS OFTEN HAPPENS OUT OF IAD WE WERE STEP CLBING AND LEVELING OFF EVERY 2000 FT; I GAVE UP LOOKING AND JUST LOOKED AT THE CAPT'S CDU WHICH CONVENIENTLY SHOWED BLUES; I THEN CONFIRMED IT AND WE HEADED THAT WAY. 5) AFTER THE RA I FINALLY LOOKED AT THE CAPT'S CDU AGAIN AND NOTICED THE MILEAGE WAS WAY OFF. RECOMMENDATION: SINCE IT APPEARS THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED; I BELIEVE THAT THE BLUES INTXN SHOULD BE RENAMED OR THE DISPATCHER SHOULD INCLUDE A NOTE ON THE FPF IF THAT IS THE FIRST ASSIGNED FIX TO ENSURE THE CORRECT BLUES IS LOADED.

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.

An aircraft departing iad on the cptal 6 SID selected an incorrect blues intersection and when cleared direct had a track deviation as the aircraft headed for russia.