A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180; Flight Crew Total 23600; Flight Crew Type 9000
Confusion; Distraction; Fatigue; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors
Our flight started out with a medical issue before we even reached our cruise altitude.  A commuting flight attendant was experiencing severe stomach pain.  We had a doctor and a paramedic on board.  We also contacted dispatch and Medlink.  To make a very long story short this became a very; very busy flight.  It was decided to continue on to DFW; but there was much drama including our commuting flight attendant accusing one of our flight attendants of not following protocol which was totally incorrect and unfounded.  We had numerous maintenance log items because of all the medical equipment used in the back. During descent we had a couple additional calls on the status of things in the back and a request for additional information from dispatch.  These contributed to the issue I am about to describe but even without them I think we probably would have flown the arrival we flew.  Our PDC and flight plan had us on the BRDJE1 arrival in DFW which is the SEEVR.BRDJE1 arrival on the chart.  During descent we were told to maintain 310 knots.  Later we were vectored off of the arrival and were then given direct SEEVR and if I remember correctly cleared the SEEVR arrival.  I looked at our arrival and saw SEEVR so we continued on the arrival (SEEVR.BRDJE1).  I am not quite sure exactly where on the arrival (I am guessing it was not long after SEEVR) but approach control asked us what arrival we were on.  We said the SEEVR/BRDJE1.  They told us that was the wrong arrival and to turn right to heading 270 (I believe).  We asked what arrival should we have been on and the controller said the SEEVR.  At this point I was quite confused because that is what I thought we were on.  The controller said; 'no big deal; that we were not in trouble; and this was a learning curve for everyone.'  I still was confused.  After we landed we then tried to figure out where we went wrong.   I had read the NOTAM's and the only NOTAM for this arrival was about approach frequencies.  I started digging through all of the arrival plates (of which there are very many) and finally to my amazement discovered that there was a SEEVR.SEEVR1 arrival.  When I had looked at the BRDJE arrival during the flight I had noticed that there wasn't a designation as to what runways the arrival was attached (just says 'RUNWAY TRANSITION not to scale').  As I now look at the plate again (after a good night sleep) there is a note I missed which would have indicated we were on the wrong arrival.  Note number 5 does state the arrival is for north flow and to expect the SEEVR arrival for south flow.  With everything going on and being tired from the long day I missed note number 5.  Somehow I still think the way these two arrivals are set up the potential for this happening again is great.  There really should be a complete separation of the arrival names.  Two arrivals should not have SEEVR (SEEVR.BRDJE1) designated on them.  It is fine for someone sitting at a desk and well rested to figure this out; but in the heat of battle with many distractions and being tired the likelihood of an error goes up significantly.
A320 Captain describes a track deviation that ensues when ATC clears the flight direct to SEEVR and changes the arrival from the BRDJE 1 RNAV to the SEEVR 1 RNAV approaching DFW. Without being aware of the SEEVR 1 the crew believes that the BRDJE 1 is correct since SEEVR is part of it.