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US Rejection (REJ) Error messages, causes and their resolution
NOTE: REJ messages in this chart will be returned by FAA domestic en route automation systems (i.e., Host, ERAM). Other FAA systems, such as Ocean21, Offshore Flight Data Processing System (OFDPS) and Anchorage Center’s Flight Data Processor (FDP), may return REJ messages with different wording.
| ICAO Field | Error Message | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not Fieldspecific | [aircraft id] EXCEEDS ALPHANUMERIC DATABASE | The total length in characters of all variable-length fields in an FPL exceeds the space allocated (approximately 1800 characters), most likely caused by an excessively long Field 18. | Shorten ICAO Field 18 & resubmit. |
| Not Fieldspecific | MESSAGE TOO SHORT | The hyphen (“-“) is the field delimiter for ICAO messages. This error is returned if fewer than the expected number of hyphens is identified in a message. | Review message & ensure all required fields are included and delimited by a hyphen. |
| Not Fieldspecific | MESSAGE TOO LONG | The hyphen (“-“) is the field delimiter for ICAO messages. This error is returned if more than the expected number of hyphens is identified in a message. Two likely causes of this problem are (1) including a Field 19 or (2) including a hyphen somewhere in Field 18. | Make sure there is no Field 19 & that no hyphen is used in the text of a field. |
| Not Fieldspecific | CORRECTION PENDING AT [source] | CHG, CNL or DLA was received for a message currently being processed by a position at the center. | Wait a short time & try the message again. |
| Not Fieldspecific | DEPARTURE STRIP PRINTED | Departure strip has printed for a uniquely identified FPL; users cannot change an FPL once the 1st flight strip has printed. | Call Flight Data at the center & manually coordinate the change. |
| Not Fieldspecific | FLIGHT PLAN NOT ORIGINATED FROM THIS SOURCE | Uniquely identified FPL did not originate from the same source as the entered message. | Call Flight Data at the center & manually coordinate the change. |
| Field 3 | [err data] INVALID RECEIVING FACILITY ID | ARTCC to which the FPL is addressed in Field 3b of an FPL, CHG, DLA or CNL message received from an answerable NADIN source does not match the center identification. | Call Flight Data at the center to get the correct facility ID and/or manually coordinate the data. |
| Field 3 | [err data] INVALID REFERENCE NUMBER | Optional Reference Data in Field 3c of a CHG, DLA or CNL message does not match Optional Message Number in Field 3b of the FPL for the referent FPL. | Call Flight Data at the center to determine why the FPL is not stored. |
| Field 3 | [err data] INVALID SENDING FACILITY ID | NADIN address before the oblique stroke (/) in Field 3c does not match the NADIN address before the “/” in Field 3b of a CNL, CHG or DLA message. | Call Flight Data at the center to get the correct facility ID and/or manually coordinate the data. |
| Field 7 | AID EXACT DUPLICATE FP IN SYSTEM | Departure Airport, Destination Airport, Departure Time & Route Fields all match those of an existing stored FPL. | Call Flight Data at the center to identify exactly which FPL you want to change & coordinate the data. |
| Field 7 | AID [err data] FORMAT | Entered aircraft identification does not comply with format requirements for Field 7a. | If the AID starts with a number, call Flight Data at the center. Otherwise, review format requirements & resubmit. |
| Field 7 | AID [err data] INVALID MODIFICATION | Entered aircraft identification in Field 7a of a CHG message is not the only Field being changed in the message. | Submit a CHG that modifies only Field 7; submit the other change(s) in a separate message. |
| Field 7 | BCN [err data] FORMAT | CHG message received via AFTN contains a Field 7c beacon code change in Field 22. | Do not attempt to submit a beacon code in an FPL or CHG. |
| Field 7 | MULTIPLE FLIGHT PLANS MANUAL COORDINATION REQUIRED | Identification process for a CHG, DLA or CNL message has identified more than one FPL. | Call Flight Data at the center & identify the exact FPL to be modified. |
| Field 7 | NO FLIGHT PLAN MANUAL COORDINATION REQUIRED | Flight identification in a CHG, DLA or CNL cannot be matched to an FPL. | Call Flight Data at the center to determine why the FPL is not available in the system. |
| Field 8 | FLR [err data] FORMAT | Entered flight rules do not comply with format requirements for Field 8a. | Resubmit with proper letter in Field 8a. |
| Field 9 | ACT [err data] FORMAT | Entered type of aircraft does not comply with format requirements for Field 9b. | Resubmit with proper aircraft type designator per ICAO Doc. 8643. |
| Field 9 | ACT [err data] INVALID | FPL message was entered with an aircraft type (Field 9b) that is not ZZZZ & is not adapted in the system. The aircraft type designator must match one in ICAO Doc. 8643. | Resubmit with proper aircraft type designator per ICAO Doc. 8643. If problem persists, contact Flight Data at the center to ensure proper interpretation of type designators. |
| Field 9 | WAK [err data] FORMAT | Entered wake turbulence category does not comply with format requirements for Field 9c. | Resubmit with proper wake turbulence indicator per the aircraft type in ICAO Doc. 8643. |
| Field 9 | WAK [err data] FORMAT | Filed Wake Turbulence Category in Field 9c does not match Wake Turbulence Category adapted for filed Aircraft Type in an FPL. | Resubmit with proper wake turbulence indicator per aircraft type in ICAO Doc. 8643. If problem persists, contact Flight Data at the center to ensure proper interpretation of the data. |
| Field 10 | EQP [err data] FORMAT | Entered radio communication, navigation & approach aid equipment does not comply with format requirements for Field 10a. | Resubmit with proper equipment codes for Field 10a. Make sure no codes are repeated. |
| Field 10 | SRV [err data] FORMAT | Entered surveillance equipment does not comply with format requirements for Field 10b. | Resubmit with proper equipment codes for Field 10b. |
| Field 13 | DEP [err data] FORMAT | Entered departure aerodrome does not comply with format requirements for Field13a. | If departure point is not four letters, use the ZZZZ filing procedure described earlier. |
| Field 13 | TIM [err data] FORMAT | Entered proposed departure time (also called off block time) does not comply with format requirements for Field 13b in an FPL message. | Resubmit with a correct time in HHMM format. |
| Field 15 | RAL [err data] INVALID BLOCKED ALTITUDE | In a blocked altitude, the 2nd altitude must be greater than the 1st altitude. | Resubmit with a correct altitude. |
| Field 15 | RAL [err data] FORMAT | Entered requested altitude does not comply with format requirements for Field 15b. | Resubmit with a correct altitude. |
| Field 15 | RTE [causative c4. element] EXCEEDS RACE/ LIMIT | Data base allocated for storing Field 15c4 elements into the Field18 RACE/ indicator is exceeded. | Ensure no more than 14 fixes in the route have an associated element c4. |
| Field 15 | RTE FLIGHT DOES NOT ENTER CENTER AIRSPACE | For an FPL categorized as “inbound”, a coordination fix is not found & boundary penetration is not detected. | Ensure FPL enters airspace of center to which it was addressed. In rare cases there can be disagreement between computers if the route barely enters the airspace or if stratified airspace is present (usually involving long direct route segments). |
| Field 15 | RTE [err data] FORMAT | A route element of Field 15c in an FPL message violates the format rules for a route element. | Resubmit with the route data corrected. |
| Field 15 | RTE [err data] INVALID BLOCKED ALT | Cruising level in Field 15c4 contains a blocked altitude & the 2nd altitude is not greater than the 1st altitude. | Resubmit with a correct altitude in the c4 data. |
| Field 15 | RTE NO COORDINATION FIX | Coordination fix cannot be determined for an FPL categorized as “inbound” (however flight does enter the center airspace). | Ensure an airway or direct route fix is traversed prior to but within 10 minutes flying time of the center boundary |
| Field 15 | RTE [err data] NO ROUTE DATA | Field 15c (Route Data) is missing in an FPL message. | Resubmit including route data. Note the minimum route data possible is DCT (direct from departure to destination). |
| Field 15 | RTE TOO MANY ELEMENTS | Field 15c in an FPL message contains more than the maximum number of elements (46); or after Field 10 is constructed, Field 10 contains more than 48 elements. | Resubmit with fewer route elements. If necessary, file “continuation” FPL with a downroute center. A future ERAM enhancement will expand the route capacity to 1,000 characters. |
| Field 15 | SPD [err data] FORMAT | Entered speed does not comply with format requirements for Field 15a. | Resubmit with a valid cruising speed. |
| Field 15 | SPD [err data] ILLEGAL | Speed of zero was entered in Field 15a. | Resubmit with a valid cruising speed. |
| Field 15 | RTE [err data] ZERO SPEED | Cruising speed in Field 15c4 contains a zero speed, which is illegal. | Resubmit with a valid speed in the c4 data. |
| Field 16 | ALA [err data] FORMAT | Entered alternate arrival point(s) does not comply with format requirements for Field 16c. | If the alternate arrival point is not four letters, use the ZZZZ filing procedure described earlier. |
| Field 16 | DST [err data] FORMAT | Entered destination aerodrome does not comply with format requirements for Field 16a. | If the destination is not four letters, use the ZZZZ filing procedure described earlier. |
| Field 16 | ETE [err data] FORMAT | Entered estimated time en route does not comply with format requirements for Field 16b in an FPL message. | Resubmit with a time in proper HHMM format. |
| Field 18 | [err data] INVALID AERODROME DESIGNATOR | Field 13a, departure point, was being changed in a CHG message to ZZZZ & the same message did not change the Field 18 indicator DEP/. | Resubmit the CHG including both Fields 13 & 18 DEST/. |
| Field 18 | OTH [err data] FORMAT | Entered other information does not comply with format requirements for Field 18a. | Resubmit with proper formatted data. Most likely problem is character data before the 1st recognized indicator. |
| Field 18 | OTH [indicator name] DUPLICATE INDICATOR | Field 18 in an FPL message contains duplicate indicators. The only indicators that may occur more than once are: STS/, RMK/, NAV/, PER/, DAT/, COM/ & DOF/. | Remove any duplicate Field 18 indicators other than the ones listed above. |
| Field 18 | OTH ([err data]) MULTIPLE IND DATABASE EXCEEDED | Data base allocated for storing multiple instances of Field 18 indicators has been exceeded (more than 191 instances of multiple indicators are included). | Ensure there are no more than 191 instances of duplicate Field 18 indicators. |
| Field 18 | OTH [indicator name] NO DATA PRESENT | A valid indicator for Field 18 does not have data present | Resubmit with a valid Field 18. If there is no Field 18 data, include a “0” (i.e., “-0” for Field 18) |
| Field 18 DEP/ | [err data] INVALID AERODROME DESIGNATOR | Rejected Field 18 indicator DEP/ data does not conform to format requirements when inserted as the 1st element of the route field when Field 13a (departure point) contains the 4 letters ZZZZ. | Ensure 1st character string after DEP/ is a valid fix or airport (i.e., 2-5 character fix name), a 3-4 character airport identifier, a Lat/Lon (ether NAS or ICAO Lat/Lon format is acceptable) or a Fix Radial Distance (FRD). |
| Field 18 DEST/ | [err data] INVALID AERODROME DESIGNATOR | Rejected Field 18 indicator DEST/ data does not conform to format requirements when inserted as last element of route field when Field 16a (arrival point) contains the 4 letters ZZZZ. | Ensure 1st character string after DEP/ is a valid fix or airport (i.e., 2-5 character fix name), a 3-4 character airport identifier, a Lat/Lon (ether NAS or ICAO Lat/Lon format is acceptable) or a Fix Radial Distance (FRD). |
| Field 18 EET/ | [err data] INVALID AERODROME DESIGNATOR | indicator in Field 18. Invalid data includes: 1. No EET data for the center attempting to process the FPL. 2. The time contained in the EET for the center processing the FPL is invalid (i.e., not 4 digits, hours > 12, minutes > 59). | Ensure that a valid EET/ entry for the center to which the FPL was sent is included. |
| Field 18 EET/ | [err data] INVALID AERODROME DESIGNATOR | An EET/ indicator is not present in Field 18 for an FPL categorized as “inbound”. This error is received when no EET/ indicator at all is detected in the FPL. | Ensure a valid EET/ entry is included for the center to which the FPL was sent. |
| Field 22 | AMD (contents of Field indicator) NO AMENDMENT DATA | Amended data was omitted in Field 22b of a CHG message. | After field number in Field 22, ensure there is a slant followed by the new, complete contents for the indicated Field. |
| Field 22 | DUPLICATE FIELD REFERENCE | Same Field reference entered more than once in the same CHG message. | Ensure a Field number is included in only one Field 22 of a CHG message. |
| Field 22 | IND [err data] FORMAT | Entered field indicator does not comply with format requirements of Field 22a. | Ensure Field number is 2 digits & one of the Fields allowed to be amended (i.e., Fields 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16 or 18). |