A Regional Jet crew reported mistaking an arrival into RDU printed on their flight release; for a clearance direct to the fix and entered it that way into the FMC. The arrival number was separated from the name on the next line.
Synopsis
A Regional Jet crew reported mistaking an arrival into RDU printed on their flight release; for a clearance direct to the fix and entered it that way into the FMC. The arrival number was separated from the name on the next line.
Narrative
I entered the flight plan in to the FMS as it appeared on the first page of the release. The first officer reviewed it and confirmed it as being correct. After crossing HPW; ATC inquired about arrival procedure. The First Officer responded that we are following our flight plan (HPW direct ARGAL direct RDU). At that time ATC informed us that our flight plan is showing that after HPW we should be on Argal5 arrival. Initially we responded that our flight plan is not reflecting that; but after reviewing it for the third time I noticed number '5' all the way to the left and on the new line. The number '5' looked like it was not associated with the line above and specifically that it was associated with the ARGAL.The flight release and especially flight plan portion of it should be printed more carefully and; if it has to extend into the second line; there should be a notation 'continued on next line' or something similar to warn pilots that there is additional content. I believe that any fix or arrival procedure should never be broken apart from its' original spelling; because it may lead pilots to assume that the flight plan is reflecting a fix instead of an arrival procedure.
Second reporter narrative
In this instance both myself and the Capt looked at the flight plan several times and; only after careful review; did we see the '5' completely separate from the rest of the clearance. Obviously all of us have seen many time flight plans that continue onto a next line; even if it is just one more fix. But this is the first and only time I have seen the name of an arrival separate from the number of the arrival. It is essentially the same as taking the first three letters of a waypoint on one line and the final two on the next. Such a flight plan may lead a pilot to believe he's going to a VOR rather than a waypoint if the last two letters are overlooked. I believe a departure; arrival; waypoint; or VOR should never be split up and placed on different lines. The entire word should stay together on whatever line it happens to fit on.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.