While in cruise, flight crew misreads chart and takes wrong airway.
Synopsis
While in cruise, flight crew misreads chart and takes wrong airway.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
Cruising at flight level 350, flight plan clearance read J94, Pullman to O'Neill. Over Dubuque, misread high altitude chart in dim light and flew J84 outbound from DBQ instead of J94.
ZMP questioned route of flight. Discovered error and received clearance of J84 to OBH. Normal filed flight plan for this trip (DTW direct DEN) is DBQ, J84, to OBH. This probably contributed to error.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
CRUISING AT FL350; FLT PLAN CLRNC READ J94; PULLMAN TO O'NEILL. OVER DUBUQUE; MISREAD HIGH ALT CHART IN DIM LIGHT AND FLEW J84 OUTBOUND FROM DBQ INSTEAD OF J94. ZMP QUESTIONED ROUTE OF FLT. DISCOVERED ERROR AND RECEIVED CLRNC OF J84 TO OBH. NORMAL FILED FLT PLAN FOR THIS TRIP (DTW DIRECT DEN) IS DBQ; J84; TO OBH. THIS PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO ERROR.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.