Air carrier large transport misread chart, flew wrong airway.

Attributes
ACN	89946
Time
Date	198806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crl
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : jhl554 enroute airway : hl584
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	89946
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	90177
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Crew, en route ord to ewr, filed along HL584 out of crl, captain flying. Crew incorrectly intercepted HL554 out of crl, instead of HL584 as filed. ATC controller informed crew of error approximately 22 mi east of crl. Aircraft was turned to intercept correct arwy. No conflict existed with other traffic. Performance considerations: incident occurred on last trip of long month for captain and engineer. Copilot was flying first trip after 12 days off. Captain misread outbnd arwy radial mistaking HL554 for HL584. Copilot also set up incorrect radial. Captain had recently flown several trips to northeast areas utilizing HL554. He was used to using this arwy instead of HL584. HL584 and HL554 are exactly 10 degrees apart in outbnd course selection. On the hi 7,8 chart, it is easy to mistake these 2 arwys. Suggestions: change the numerical designation on either HL554 or HL584 so they can't be confused out of crl. Especially in the arwy congested areas, such as the northeast, eliminate similar numerical designators for arwys which parallel each other.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT MISREAD CHART, FLEW WRONG AIRWAY.

Narrative: CREW, ENRTE ORD TO EWR, FILED ALONG HL584 OUT OF CRL, CAPT FLYING. CREW INCORRECTLY INTERCEPTED HL554 OUT OF CRL, INSTEAD OF HL584 AS FILED. ATC CTLR INFORMED CREW OF ERROR APPROX 22 MI E OF CRL. ACFT WAS TURNED TO INTERCEPT CORRECT ARWY. NO CONFLICT EXISTED WITH OTHER TFC. PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: INCIDENT OCCURRED ON LAST TRIP OF LONG MONTH FOR CAPT AND ENGINEER. COPLT WAS FLYING FIRST TRIP AFTER 12 DAYS OFF. CAPT MISREAD OUTBND ARWY RADIAL MISTAKING HL554 FOR HL584. COPLT ALSO SET UP INCORRECT RADIAL. CAPT HAD RECENTLY FLOWN SEVERAL TRIPS TO NE AREAS UTILIZING HL554. HE WAS USED TO USING THIS ARWY INSTEAD OF HL584. HL584 AND HL554 ARE EXACTLY 10 DEGS APART IN OUTBND COURSE SELECTION. ON THE HI 7,8 CHART, IT IS EASY TO MISTAKE THESE 2 ARWYS. SUGGESTIONS: CHANGE THE NUMERICAL DESIGNATION ON EITHER HL554 OR HL584 SO THEY CAN'T BE CONFUSED OUT OF CRL. ESPECIALLY IN THE ARWY CONGESTED AREAS, SUCH AS THE NE, ELIMINATE SIMILAR NUMERICAL DESIGNATORS FOR ARWYS WHICH PARALLEL EACH OTHER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.