Flight cleared direct fam, mo. First officer programmed correctly, captain thought fmn, NM.

Attributes
ACN	93876
Time
Date	198808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fam
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	93876
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight cvg to lax. En route ATC (center) cleared our flight direct to farmington. First officer loaded direct intercept to fam in FMS, and executed same. About 1 1/2 mins later, captain loaded direct intercept to fmn (also on our filed and cleared route of flight) and commented, 'it's 1061 mi to farmington.' this aroused my curiosity, and I noticed he had loaded farmington, NM after I had correctly loaded farmington, mo. Navaids with the same name, or same sounding names are obvious areas for potential ambiguity, particularly with RNAV aircraft that can navigation direct to anywhere in the world. Another pair of navaids that come immediately to mind are lvs and las, las vegas, NM and nv, respectively. I'm sure there are probably many more including intxns (pensi--pensacola, fl, and pensi--unknown location, northeast I think) that have the same sounding names. These are obvious safety problems. I would hope with such an obvious problem we could correct is before an accident. Hopefully use foresight and shut the door on this one before the horses are out of the barn. Thanks for your help on this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CLEARED DIRECT FAM, MO. FO PROGRAMMED CORRECTLY, CAPT THOUGHT FMN, NM.

Narrative: FLT CVG TO LAX. ENRTE ATC (CENTER) CLRED OUR FLT DIRECT TO FARMINGTON. F/O LOADED DIRECT INTERCEPT TO FAM IN FMS, AND EXECUTED SAME. ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS LATER, CAPT LOADED DIRECT INTERCEPT TO FMN (ALSO ON OUR FILED AND CLRED ROUTE OF FLT) AND COMMENTED, 'IT'S 1061 MI TO FARMINGTON.' THIS AROUSED MY CURIOSITY, AND I NOTICED HE HAD LOADED FARMINGTON, NM AFTER I HAD CORRECTLY LOADED FARMINGTON, MO. NAVAIDS WITH THE SAME NAME, OR SAME SOUNDING NAMES ARE OBVIOUS AREAS FOR POTENTIAL AMBIGUITY, PARTICULARLY WITH RNAV ACFT THAT CAN NAV DIRECT TO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. ANOTHER PAIR OF NAVAIDS THAT COME IMMEDIATELY TO MIND ARE LVS AND LAS, LAS VEGAS, NM AND NV, RESPECTIVELY. I'M SURE THERE ARE PROBABLY MANY MORE INCLUDING INTXNS (PENSI--PENSACOLA, FL, AND PENSI--UNKNOWN LOCATION, NE I THINK) THAT HAVE THE SAME SOUNDING NAMES. THESE ARE OBVIOUS SAFETY PROBS. I WOULD HOPE WITH SUCH AN OBVIOUS PROB WE COULD CORRECT IS BEFORE AN ACCIDENT. HOPEFULLY USE FORESIGHT AND SHUT THE DOOR ON THIS ONE BEFORE THE HORSES ARE OUT OF THE BARN. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP ON THIS.

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.