Controller flight crew confusion about flight plan route and cleared route.

Attributes
ACN	99484
Time
Date	198811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	99484
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Company filed flight plan, kiad...mrb...ihd...J518 to dryer, etc. Obtained clearance via capitol 1, buffr, as filed. Loaded buffr into FMS as first chkpoint. This gave us kiad...buffr...mrb...ihd...J518 to dryer, etc. Took off south, righthand turn to heading 350 degree, level at 7000' MSL. Departure cleared us 'intercept J518 on course.' I asked if buffr was on J518 since washington dc area chart did not depict buffr on J518. Controller confirmed buffr was on J518. Asked for direct buffr and re-cleared direct buffr fpr. On reaching buffr made turn for mrb, controller asked us to turn left to intercept J518. We then asked and received clearance direct to ihd then J518 fpr. Since we were not above FL180 we could not accept clearance to intercept J518. Washington dc area chart does not depict J518 as going over buffr intersection. Washington dc area chart shows J518 out the 291 degree right of balance instead of the correct 300 degree right of balance. Company has been asked to change the canned route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR FLT CREW CONFUSION ABOUT FLT PLAN ROUTE AND CLEARED ROUTE.

Narrative: COMPANY FILED FLT PLAN, KIAD...MRB...IHD...J518 TO DRYER, ETC. OBTAINED CLRNC VIA CAPITOL 1, BUFFR, AS FILED. LOADED BUFFR INTO FMS AS FIRST CHKPOINT. THIS GAVE US KIAD...BUFFR...MRB...IHD...J518 TO DRYER, ETC. TOOK OFF S, RIGHTHAND TURN TO HDG 350 DEG, LEVEL AT 7000' MSL. DEP CLRED US 'INTERCEPT J518 ON COURSE.' I ASKED IF BUFFR WAS ON J518 SINCE WASHINGTON DC AREA CHART DID NOT DEPICT BUFFR ON J518. CTLR CONFIRMED BUFFR WAS ON J518. ASKED FOR DIRECT BUFFR AND RE-CLRED DIRECT BUFFR FPR. ON REACHING BUFFR MADE TURN FOR MRB, CTLR ASKED US TO TURN L TO INTERCEPT J518. WE THEN ASKED AND RECEIVED CLRNC DIRECT TO IHD THEN J518 FPR. SINCE WE WERE NOT ABOVE FL180 WE COULD NOT ACCEPT CLRNC TO INTERCEPT J518. WASHINGTON DC AREA CHART DOES NOT DEPICT J518 AS GOING OVER BUFFR INTXN. WASHINGTON DC AREA CHART SHOWS J518 OUT THE 291 DEG R OF BAL INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT 300 DEG R OF BAL. COMPANY HAS BEEN ASKED TO CHANGE THE CANNED ROUTE.

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.