Heading track deviation during a STAR arrival. ATC expected routing differed from air carrier's file...

Attributes
ACN	142874
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : flm
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	142874
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	142878
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Airlines flight gso direct cvg. This is a problem in understanding a clearance. At gso, clearance delivery gave us a clearance of: 'cleared as filed, maintain 35000'. They also mentioned the assigned transponder code. Our flight plan indicated 26000', so I asked for a comparison of our flight plans. My flight plan indicated 'gso...flm...FLM2 cvg'. Clearance delivery indicated the flight plan should read gso...hmv...flm...FLM2 cvg. (Hmv = holston mountain). I believe I read back holston mountain direct flm, then FLM2 cvg. This is the problem, center expected holston mountain then the FLM2...cvg. The difference being the FLM2 arrival from holston mountain calls for flying the hmv 311 right vke going direct to falmouth. En route we were queried on whether we were flying direct to flm; we responded yes, then center indicated that was ok, but they thought we should have already been on the FLM2 arrival. The problem is really if the clearance was gso direct hmv...flm...FLM2 or gso direct hmv...FLM2 cvg. This is a major difference and could cause a potential conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEVIATION DURING A STAR ARR. ATC EXPECTED ROUTING DIFFERED FROM ACR'S FILED ROUTE.

Narrative: AIRLINES FLT GSO DIRECT CVG. THIS IS A PROB IN UNDERSTANDING A CLRNC. AT GSO, CLRNC DELIVERY GAVE US A CLRNC OF: 'CLRED AS FILED, MAINTAIN 35000'. THEY ALSO MENTIONED THE ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODE. OUR FLT PLAN INDICATED 26000', SO I ASKED FOR A COMPARISON OF OUR FLT PLANS. MY FLT PLAN INDICATED 'GSO...FLM...FLM2 CVG'. CLRNC DELIVERY INDICATED THE FLT PLAN SHOULD READ GSO...HMV...FLM...FLM2 CVG. (HMV = HOLSTON MOUNTAIN). I BELIEVE I READ BACK HOLSTON MOUNTAIN DIRECT FLM, THEN FLM2 CVG. THIS IS THE PROB, CTR EXPECTED HOLSTON MOUNTAIN THEN THE FLM2...CVG. THE DIFFERENCE BEING THE FLM2 ARR FROM HOLSTON MOUNTAIN CALLS FOR FLYING THE HMV 311 R VKE GOING DIRECT TO FALMOUTH. ENRTE WE WERE QUERIED ON WHETHER WE WERE FLYING DIRECT TO FLM; WE RESPONDED YES, THEN CTR INDICATED THAT WAS OK, BUT THEY THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN ON THE FLM2 ARR. THE PROB IS REALLY IF THE CLRNC WAS GSO DIRECT HMV...FLM...FLM2 OR GSO DIRECT HMV...FLM2 CVG. THIS IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE AND COULD CAUSE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Heading track deviation during a STAR arrival. ATC expected routing differed from air carrier's filed route.