Air carrier flight crew described an alleged significant route error supposedly due to aircraft and ...

Attributes
ACN	927344
Time
Date	201101
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	CZEG.ARTCC
State Reference	AB
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 81 Flight Crew Total 25000 Flight Crew Type 3653
Person 2
Function	Relief Pilot Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100 Flight Crew Total 13000 Flight Crew Type 4000
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Narrative:

We were on our filed/cleared route gubak direct 090C direct 70n092w. Edmonton ATC advised that a gross navigation error report had been filed against our flight for a deviation of 30 NM. At this time we were approximately 65 NM north of gubak on course to 090C. The ATC controller said that their computer system does not recognize the commercial chart waypoint designations such as 090C and that they have told our company to stop using them. Apparently the ATC computer ignores these way points and selects the next down path way point for the route; so in our case they were expecting gubak direct 70n092w. We were approximately 10 NM west of this routing when we were notified of the report filing; and the deviation from this route would be 30 NM at 090C. We were not instructed to fly direct to 70n092w and continued on the filed/cleared route. The ATC controller indicated the report was filed prior to gubak when the ads position report showed 090C as a down path way point. ATC did not contact the flight prior to gubak to verify routing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier flight crew described an alleged significant route error supposedly due to aircraft and ATC software programming disconnects involving fix names and routings.

Narrative: We were on our filed/cleared route GUBAK direct 090C direct 70N092W. Edmonton ATC advised that a Gross Navigation Error report had been filed against our flight for a deviation of 30 NM. At this time we were approximately 65 NM north of GUBAK on course to 090C. The ATC Controller said that their computer system does not recognize the Commercial Chart waypoint designations such as 090C and that they have told our company to stop using them. Apparently the ATC computer ignores these way points and selects the next down path way point for the route; so in our case they were expecting GUBAK direct 70N092W. We were approximately 10 NM west of this routing when we were notified of the report filing; and the deviation from this route would be 30 NM at 090C. We were not instructed to fly Direct to 70N092W and continued on the filed/cleared route. The ATC Controller indicated the report was filed prior to GUBAK when the ADS position report showed 090C as a down path way point. ATC did not contact the flight prior to GUBAK to verify routing.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Air carrier flight crew described an alleged significant route error supposedly due to aircraft and ATC software programming disconnects involving fix names and routings.