Flight crew briefed clearance but not correctly. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	200822
Time
Date	199202
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tup
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	200822
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed tupelo VFR and contacted memphis center, to pick up a clearance to bna. Our approximately heading was 035 degrees. The controller asked us to confirm our heading. The captain did as '035 degrees direct to gram.' we had been cleared as filed. Prior to and after takeoff the first officer had briefed the captain that the clearance was tup direct grm direct GRM2 direct bna. The captain assumed she was doing the appropriate departure and en route routing based on the first officer's planning. The controller corrected them (the actual clearance was tup direct MSL direct grm direct GRM2 direct bna). The crew then complied with the correct clearance. The problem: the first officer misunderstood or confused the clearance due to the fact that normally after takeoff he was accustomed to receiving direct grm. He assumed he knew the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC BRIEFED CLRNC BUT NOT CORRECTLY. HDG DEV.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED TUPELO VFR AND CONTACTED MEMPHIS CTR, TO PICK UP A CLRNC TO BNA. OUR APPROX HDG WAS 035 DEGS. THE CTLR ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR HDG. THE CAPT DID AS '035 DEGS DIRECT TO GRAM.' WE HAD BEEN CLRED AS FILED. PRIOR TO AND AFTER TKOF THE FO HAD BRIEFED THE CAPT THAT THE CLRNC WAS TUP DIRECT GRM DIRECT GRM2 DIRECT BNA. THE CAPT ASSUMED SHE WAS DOING THE APPROPRIATE DEP AND ENRTE RTING BASED ON THE FO'S PLANNING. THE CTLR CORRECTED THEM (THE ACTUAL CLRNC WAS TUP DIRECT MSL DIRECT GRM DIRECT GRM2 DIRECT BNA). THE CREW THEN COMPLIED WITH THE CORRECT CLRNC. THE PROBLEM: THE FO MISUNDERSTOOD OR CONFUSED THE CLRNC DUE TO THE FACT THAT NORMALLY AFTER TKOF HE WAS ACCUSTOMED TO RECEIVING DIRECT GRM. HE ASSUMED HE KNEW THE CLRNC.

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.