Date: 201209
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: LAX.Airport, CA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Dawn
Aircraft: Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B LAX
ATC / advisory: TRACON SCT
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Pilot Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors
Primary problem: Chart Or Publication

Narrative: After takeoff from LAX; ATC amended the departure with fly heading 180; then 210. That was accomplished. ATC then directed us to fly to what we thought was SEBBY Intersection and I did read that back as I had heard it. What he meant was PEVEE Intersection. After being handed off to the next Controller we were informed of not being cleared yet for the turn. I advised Departure that we were going to our assigned fix. He turned us a couple of times and we rejoined the departure. No aircraft was affected and the rest of the departure was normal.

Callback: The reporter stated that SCT vectors on the OSHNN FOUR RNAV Departure after takeoff were normal but the clearance to SEBBY was unusual and both pilots talked between them to verify what they heard was SEBBY and not PEVEE. The Reporter; as the non flying pilot; then entered SEBBY; both pilots verify it and then executed. The next SCT Controller immediately questioned their track and reissued PEVEE to correct the track. The Controller was clearly irritated but indicated that there was no conflict and the event ended.

Second narrative: We were assigned the OSHNN 4 RNAV departure out of LAX. On departure; Tower cleared us for takeoff and to turn left at the LAX VOR to a 210 heading. We flew this as instructed. After being handed off to departure; the TRACON Controller told us to fly direct SEBBY Intersection and to climb and maintain 13;000. I was hand flying at the time and the Captain read back the clearance saying we were cleared direct to SEBBY Intersection. The Captain set 13;000 in the MCP which we both verified and the Captain then selected direct SEBBY on the FMC. I then turned the AP on. We were then handed off to the next Departure Controller. We were in the left hand turn direct SEBBY climbing to 13;000 then the new Controller then said we were not cleared for a turn to the north east and he then told us to turn right to a 180 heading which we did. The Controller sounded somewhat concerned. On the OSHNN 4 Departure there are two intersections which sound almost identical on the radio. SEBBY and PEVEE. After further review of what happened; the Captain and I thought it possible the first Controller meant to send us direct to PEVEE and not to SEBBY. PEVEE would have been a turn to the south; not the northeast. The Captain and I both without a doubt felt the Controller instructed us to fly direct SEBBY and not PEVEE and the captain read back 'Direct SEBBY;' either the Controller misspoke and cleared us direct to the wrong intersection or we didn't hear the correct clearance. I am not sure. Both SEBBY and PEVEE sound almost identical over a congested ATC radio frequency.


Synopsis: Air carrier flight crew reported that on a LAX RNAV Departure; following initial departure vectors; they were cleared to what they thought was SEBBY Intersection when the Controller meant the PEVEE Waypoint.