Narrative:

Mia departure control was giving us radar vectors for traffic separation and WX avoidance to join en route route structure with ZMA. Our filed routing and clearance was mia direct orl en route (MIA5 SID). We requested deviations around numerous building cells and then accepted clearance from departure control to 'fly heading 300 degrees, join J-53.' our position was nearby (approximately 10 NM north) of mia VORTAC, and this heading seemed plausible and reasonable. Departure control then handed us off to ZMA ARTCC. I had uneasy feeling after about 1 min of flying the assigned 300 degree heading because we really had no course guidance (orl VORTAC at our range and altitude was unreceivable) and I tried to visualize position relative to mia VORTAC. Right after radio handoff to center I instructed first officer (PNF) to program coordinates for dougs intersection (beginning of J-53) and I generated J-53 extended centerline on the omega and saw we were 7.5 NM left of centerline. Executed tight right turn to intercept extended centerline, although at our position the airway did not exist. First officer checked in with center and he advised we were west. We had flown previous instructions and they did not comply with departure's and center's expectations. What departure meant and expected but did not assign was 'fly heading 300 degrees to intercept orl 160 degree radial.' I assume he mentally was expecting intercept of what used to be j- 53 but no longer exists. Perhaps his video map is not corrected or by force of habit he pictured the airway. Had there not been thunderstorms or had I been flying with more situationally aware copilot, we could have had omega RNAV immediately awaiting such amended clearance. Had I been PNF I would have had omega already set up. Next time,, anticipate everything, assume nothing, clarify everything.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK POS DEV IN A NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: MIA DEP CTL WAS GIVING US RADAR VECTORS FOR TFC SEPARATION AND WX AVOIDANCE TO JOIN ENRTE RTE STRUCTURE WITH ZMA. OUR FILED ROUTING AND CLRNC WAS MIA DIRECT ORL ENRTE (MIA5 SID). WE REQUESTED DEVS AROUND NUMEROUS BUILDING CELLS AND THEN ACCEPTED CLRNC FROM DEP CTL TO 'FLY HDG 300 DEGS, JOIN J-53.' OUR POS WAS NEARBY (APPROX 10 NM N) OF MIA VORTAC, AND THIS HDG SEEMED PLAUSIBLE AND REASONABLE. DEP CTL THEN HANDED US OFF TO ZMA ARTCC. I HAD UNEASY FEELING AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN OF FLYING THE ASSIGNED 300 DEG HDG BECAUSE WE REALLY HAD NO COURSE GUIDANCE (ORL VORTAC AT OUR RANGE AND ALT WAS UNRECEIVABLE) AND I TRIED TO VISUALIZE POS RELATIVE TO MIA VORTAC. RIGHT AFTER RADIO HDOF TO CTR I INSTRUCTED FO (PNF) TO PROGRAM COORDINATES FOR DOUGS INTXN (BEGINNING OF J-53) AND I GENERATED J-53 EXTENDED CTRLINE ON THE OMEGA AND SAW WE WERE 7.5 NM L OF CTRLINE. EXECUTED TIGHT R TURN TO INTERCEPT EXTENDED CTRLINE, ALTHOUGH AT OUR POS THE AIRWAY DID NOT EXIST. FO CHKED IN WITH CTR AND HE ADVISED WE WERE W. WE HAD FLOWN PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS AND THEY DID NOT COMPLY WITH DEP'S AND CTR'S EXPECTATIONS. WHAT DEP MEANT AND EXPECTED BUT DID NOT ASSIGN WAS 'FLY HDG 300 DEGS TO INTERCEPT ORL 160 DEG RADIAL.' I ASSUME HE MENTALLY WAS EXPECTING INTERCEPT OF WHAT USED TO BE J- 53 BUT NO LONGER EXISTS. PERHAPS HIS VIDEO MAP IS NOT CORRECTED OR BY FORCE OF HABIT HE PICTURED THE AIRWAY. HAD THERE NOT BEEN TSTMS OR HAD I BEEN FLYING WITH MORE SITUATIONALLY AWARE COPLT, WE COULD HAVE HAD OMEGA RNAV IMMEDIATELY AWAITING SUCH AMENDED CLRNC. HAD I BEEN PNF I WOULD HAVE HAD OMEGA ALREADY SET UP. NEXT TIME,, ANTICIPATE EVERYTHING, ASSUME NOTHING, CLARIFY EVERYTHING.

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.