Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 179
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
Shortly after passing EMMLY on our flight plan route; Center queried us where we were going. We said 'Columbus'. He said okay; you're cleared via ETAME VHP GUNNE. I told the Captain that was weird since our original route ETANE VHP GUNNE was so close. Well; upon looking at our release; we were filed ETAME (never ETANE). Not sure if I saw it wrong or just pushed the wrong button; but neither of us caught it because it looked so similar. Moreover; our route didn't look wrong because ETANE and ETAME are only 27 NM apart. Why? I even messed it up on this report at least three times.
We were filed via the ETAME waypoint; but misentered it in the FMC and flew to ETANE. The two points are only 27 miles apart; and neither the First Officer nor I caught the mistake. We did all checklists and briefings per the FOM; and I even looked at the route to make sure all the points made directional sense; but the similar waypoint names escaped both of us.
First officer and Captain reported of a mistake in typing an intersection name that caused ATC to question where they were going. Similar fixes separated by 27 miles and only different by one letter.