Narrative:

After departure from fll to NAS, we were on vectors for climb. Last heading we were given was 090 degree. We then heard what we understood to be 'climb to 11000''. I replied up to 11000'. When we were at 9500' controller asked what our altitude was. We replied 9500' climbing to 11000'. He said was 11000' your last assigned altitude? We replied yes. He said I don't think so. Finally I asked him where do you want us? He said turn right to 110 degree, so we did. He then said to call mia center for more information on ground. That evening we called center, they said it was an heading deviation not an altitude deviation. We were told we only had 4.5 mo of the 5.0 mi sep required. Center said controller meant turn to 110 degree, not climb to 11.0. He reviewed the tapes and said controller heard us say climb to 11000' and didn't catch it. He said it would be charged as an operational error on the part of the controller. The supervisor I spoke with was XXXX mia center. Controller should have spent less time on debating last assigned altitude and asked us our heading and given us a turn to stay 5.0 separate if that is what he really meant when he assigned us 11000'. Poor communication. This was the 6TH leg of a 7 leg day. The strange thing is that during this entire event, the controller never questioned our heading, only altitude, and that's bizarre if it was a heading deviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT AND HEADING DEVIATION DID NOT TURN TO ASSIGNED HEADING.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM FLL TO NAS, WE WERE ON VECTORS FOR CLB. LAST HDG WE WERE GIVEN WAS 090 DEG. WE THEN HEARD WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE 'CLB TO 11000''. I REPLIED UP TO 11000'. WHEN WE WERE AT 9500' CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE REPLIED 9500' CLBING TO 11000'. HE SAID WAS 11000' YOUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT? WE REPLIED YES. HE SAID I DON'T THINK SO. FINALLY I ASKED HIM WHERE DO YOU WANT US? HE SAID TURN RIGHT TO 110 DEG, SO WE DID. HE THEN SAID TO CALL MIA CTR FOR MORE INFO ON GND. THAT EVENING WE CALLED CTR, THEY SAID IT WAS AN HDG DEVIATION NOT AN ALT DEVIATION. WE WERE TOLD WE ONLY HAD 4.5 MO OF THE 5.0 MI SEP REQUIRED. CTR SAID CTLR MEANT TURN TO 110 DEG, NOT CLB TO 11.0. HE REVIEWED THE TAPES AND SAID CTLR HEARD US SAY CLB TO 11000' AND DIDN'T CATCH IT. HE SAID IT WOULD BE CHARGED AS AN OPERROR ON THE PART OF THE CTLR. THE SUPVR I SPOKE WITH WAS XXXX MIA CTR. CTLR SHOULD HAVE SPENT LESS TIME ON DEBATING LAST ASSIGNED ALT AND ASKED US OUR HDG AND GIVEN US A TURN TO STAY 5.0 SEPARATE IF THAT IS WHAT HE REALLY MEANT WHEN HE ASSIGNED US 11000'. POOR COM. THIS WAS THE 6TH LEG OF A 7 LEG DAY. THE STRANGE THING IS THAT DURING THIS ENTIRE EVENT, THE CTLR NEVER QUESTIONED OUR HDG, ONLY ALT, AND THAT'S BIZARRE IF IT WAS A HDG DEVIATION.

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.