Date: 202008
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: SBA.Airport, CA
Flight conditions: VMC
Aircraft: Medium Transport
Operator: Corporate
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Cruise; Parked
Airspace: Class E ZLA
ATC / advisory: Center ZLA; Ground SBA
Reporter organization: Corporate
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Clearance delivery out of SBA re-routed this airplane to include 'Drake' VOR (DRK); but both pilots wrote down 'DRAKE' i.e. the intersection on the scratch paper in the cockpit and this was subsequently programmed in to the FMS.  After flying the SID and transitioning to the enroute segment of flight; the LA Center Controller assigned the flight 'cleared direct Drake.'  The crew proceeded to fly direct to the DRAKE intersection.  Crew noticed that it caused about a 90 degree turn along the route of flight and asked for direct for a fix after that point to 'straighten the line.'  Upon asking and Controller seemed incredulous and implied that 'Drake' was about a 4 degree course change from the currently assigned route.  Crew insisted that 'Drake' was about a 90 degree heading change and would require a significant turn thereafter to get back on course.  After query from ATC; it was determined that the crew erroneously put 'DRAKE' Intersection in to the FMS rather than DRK (VORTAC).  Crew admitted fault; corrected in the FMS and the rest of the flight proceeded uneventfully. Controller at SBA didn't specify DRK VORTAC; out of pure coincidence there is a DRAKE Intersection in the same general direction even though it is in a different state.  On the ground crew assumed and wrote down 'DRAKE' and never questioned the type of fix.  In the air; crew had MFD ranged out too far to realize the massive difference in course between DRK and DRAKE intersection - an entirely different state.   If a course discrepancy is seen on the MFD when zooming out i.e.; not a straight line; ask ATC to verify that an intersection is spelled properly; or if it is supposed to be a VOR rather than an intersection.


Second narrative: On taxi out the Ground Control issued a re-route to include 'Drake' VOR (DRK); but both pilots wrote down 'DRAKE' i.e.; the intersection on the scratch paper in the cockpit and this was subsequently programmed in to the FMS. It was kind of one of those things where we got a re-route while getting the taxi clearance. We both wrote the clearance as it was read: 'Drake.' Ironically there is a Drake VOR and an Intersection that aren't that far off the line from each other from SBA. As we were taxiing I didn't do a full check of the route via the MFD; just a cursory page check to ensure a reasonable distance/fuel for the re-route. I should have looked at the full route and stopped the taxi.Ideally the Ground Controller would have issued 'Drake VOR' in the clearance. But at the same he probably didn't know there was a fix of 'DRAKE' Intersection as well. There was never a NAV or pilot deviation issued as we figured it out with the Center Controller after some initial confusion. I guess you could say it was...'God's Plan.' I mean we did 'start from the bottom and now we are here.'


Synopsis: Air carrier flight crew reported a track heading deviation during departure from SBA airport.  The crew reported they had entered DRAKE Intersection in their FMS rather than 'Drake' DRK VOR as cleared.