Narrative:

At 13000' on a vector issued from the departure controller we were advised by the controller to, 'expect direct trm and higher in 2 mins.' since I was flying the aircraft, the captain answered the controller. I did not hear what the captain said to the controller and evidently the controller did not either, since the controller immediately advised us to expect higher in 2 mins again. The captain again responded, but I again could not hear his response transmitting from the aircraft, so I 'rogered' the controller. By this time I was fairly sure the captain was having transmitter problems and advised him that I did not hear him 'going out.' meanwhile the captain had reporgrammed the FMC for direct trm and executed the new program which commanded the flight director to turn left direct trm. I questioned the captain about this, to which he responded that we were cleared direct trm, so I turned that direction. While in the turn I again questioned the clearance and stated that I thought the clearance was to expect direct and higher in 2 mins. As we rolled out direct trm (and prior to the captain being able to confirm the clearance) the controller called us and asked if we had already turned direct trm. The captain replied that we had, as cleared, to which the controller replied that the clearance was expect direct and higher in 2 mins. I should have been more forceful in requesting the captain to verify the clearance. I believe the captain was talking on intercom when he read back the clearance initially.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT TURNED DIRECT TO TRM PREMATURELY WHEN CAPT MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC.

Narrative: AT 13000' ON A VECTOR ISSUED FROM THE DEP CTLR WE WERE ADVISED BY THE CTLR TO, 'EXPECT DIRECT TRM AND HIGHER IN 2 MINS.' SINCE I WAS FLYING THE ACFT, THE CAPT ANSWERED THE CTLR. I DID NOT HEAR WHAT THE CAPT SAID TO THE CTLR AND EVIDENTLY THE CTLR DID NOT EITHER, SINCE THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY ADVISED US TO EXPECT HIGHER IN 2 MINS AGAIN. THE CAPT AGAIN RESPONDED, BUT I AGAIN COULD NOT HEAR HIS RESPONSE XMITTING FROM THE ACFT, SO I 'ROGERED' THE CTLR. BY THIS TIME I WAS FAIRLY SURE THE CAPT WAS HAVING XMITTER PROBS AND ADVISED HIM THAT I DID NOT HEAR HIM 'GOING OUT.' MEANWHILE THE CAPT HAD REPORGRAMMED THE FMC FOR DIRECT TRM AND EXECUTED THE NEW PROGRAM WHICH COMMANDED THE FLT DIRECTOR TO TURN LEFT DIRECT TRM. I QUESTIONED THE CAPT ABOUT THIS, TO WHICH HE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TRM, SO I TURNED THAT DIRECTION. WHILE IN THE TURN I AGAIN QUESTIONED THE CLRNC AND STATED THAT I THOUGHT THE CLRNC WAS TO EXPECT DIRECT AND HIGHER IN 2 MINS. AS WE ROLLED OUT DIRECT TRM (AND PRIOR TO THE CAPT BEING ABLE TO CONFIRM THE CLRNC) THE CTLR CALLED US AND ASKED IF WE HAD ALREADY TURNED DIRECT TRM. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE HAD, AS CLRED, TO WHICH THE CTLR REPLIED THAT THE CLRNC WAS EXPECT DIRECT AND HIGHER IN 2 MINS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FORCEFUL IN REQUESTING THE CAPT TO VERIFY THE CLRNC. I BELIEVE THE CAPT WAS TALKING ON INTERCOM WHEN HE READ BACK THE CLRNC INITIALLY.

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.