Clearance confusion, heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	184222
Time
Date	199107
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : okc
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1295 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : okc tower : okc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : okc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 850
ASRS Report	184222
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was issued a clearance on the ground (at okc) to fly a heading, intercept radial XXX, etc. I flew the heading and turned when reaching the radial and was immediately told that I was supposed to have stayed on the heading until instructed to turn to intercept radial. On the ground I read back the clearance. We were in agreement with words, but not meaning or understanding. I even read back the clearance when corrected in flight and controller verified readback but we were interpreting the clearance differently. Even on the ground the next day I reread the clearance and would have interpreted it the same way. Next time, if I think there might be a problem, the only solution would be to repeat that portion of the clearance in 'long hand'. The trick would be to spot the confusion before flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC CONFUSION, HDG DEV.

Narrative: I WAS ISSUED A CLRNC ON THE GND (AT OKC) TO FLY A HDG, INTERCEPT RADIAL XXX, ETC. I FLEW THE HDG AND TURNED WHEN REACHING THE RADIAL AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TOLD THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE STAYED ON THE HDG UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO INTERCEPT RADIAL. ON THE GND I READ BACK THE CLRNC. WE WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH WORDS, BUT NOT MEANING OR UNDERSTANDING. I EVEN READ BACK THE CLRNC WHEN CORRECTED IN FLT AND CTLR VERIFIED READBACK BUT WE WERE INTERPRETING THE CLRNC DIFFERENTLY. EVEN ON THE GND THE NEXT DAY I REREAD THE CLRNC AND WOULD HAVE INTERPRETED IT THE SAME WAY. NEXT TIME, IF I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM, THE ONLY SOLUTION WOULD BE TO REPEAT THAT PORTION OF THE CLRNC IN 'LONG HAND'. THE TRICK WOULD BE TO SPOT THE CONFUSION BEFORE FLT.

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.