B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors
While conducting OJTI I read the flight plan on a B737. It read: KSTL.JHART1.ROD.... When the B737 passed the KELLY Intersection; I noticed that he turned 40 degrees left towards VHP and towards an overflight also at FL330 (call sign unknown). After descending the B737 to FL300; I asked what clearance he had received that caused the turn at KELLY towards VHP. He stated that he was given the JAHRT departure then VHP direct ROD and the [STAR] arrival. The B737 was then cleared direct to ROD. I'm not sure if this was a clearance delivery problem; FMS issue; or misunderstanding on the pilot's part. This is the second time I have seen this happen in the past two weeks. Both events involved the same airline flights.
We were cleared KXX JHART1 ROD... This is a non-standard route. First Officer loaded the route in the FMC. I checked the route on the LEGS page. Loading in the route by selecting the JHART1; then the [STAR]; you will be missing the point CALOB. The First Officer then selected a VHP transition to add the point. The problem by picking a transition on the [STAR] is that it will change FMC routing for the JHART1 and close up the discontinuities. The routing should have been KELLY SHB... The routing we loaded was: KELLY VHP... We loaded the box wrong and didn't catch it. I should have looked at both the Route page and the LEGS page. I don't like that the box changes points on the SID when we changed the routing on the STAR. I don't think we are the first ones to mis-program this route.'
ZID Controller described a potential conflict event when an Air Carrier made an unexpected 40 degree turn not indicated on the ATC route information.