Narrative:

We were filed for our 'standard' flight plan from sdq to jfk, routing was from sdq via the kodix 2 departure to kodix A554 champ A300 owenz direct camrn direct jfk. Upon speaking to the inbound captain who just flew the same route sbound, I discovered the WX over A554 made in unsuitable. I spoke to dispatch and requested him to review the en route WX and make a determination as to a change of route. He concurred with me and filed us: sdq direct cavel direct pling A300 owenz direct camrn direct jfk. We received our clearance upon taxi out which was 'cleared as filed, climb and maintain FL310.' I had expected some problem with the clearance as direct cavel did not seem to comply with the procedures for transition to sju airspace, i.e., it was not over a fix on the fir boundary. Nonetheless, las americas tower always includes the SID in their clearance, so I assumed they had the same flight plan we had, since the new route did not include a SID. After takeoff we were asked by las americas departure what our routing was. We responded it was direct to cavel. They wanted to know if we were navigating on A554. We said no and were told to stand by. We were then switched over to santo domingo control who wanted to know what our route request was. The copilot was not having a great deal of luck communicating our desires so I told him to contact ZSU and let them know we were expecting to enter their airspace (in 7 mins) over the katok intersection which is on the fir. Next I requested a clearance from santo domingo control to proceed from present position (northwest of pna VOR by about 45 NM) to katok direct cavel A300 at FL310. Santo domingo control issued this clearance to me shortly thereafter. We entered ZSU airspace and proceeded without further incident to jfk. Lessons learned: the 3 most dangerous words in ATC clrncs are, 'cleared as filed.' the best advice is, 'when in doubt, ask.' the hairs were up on the back of my neck but for some reason I didn't heed them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB HAD FILED RTE CHANGED BY DISPATCH. THEY WERE CLRED 'AS FILED.' BUT ATC HAD NOT RECEIVED THE AMENDED RTE REQUEST.

Narrative: WE WERE FILED FOR OUR 'STANDARD' FLT PLAN FROM SDQ TO JFK, ROUTING WAS FROM SDQ VIA THE KODIX 2 DEP TO KODIX A554 CHAMP A300 OWENZ DIRECT CAMRN DIRECT JFK. UPON SPEAKING TO THE INBOUND CAPT WHO JUST FLEW THE SAME RTE SBOUND, I DISCOVERED THE WX OVER A554 MADE IN UNSUITABLE. I SPOKE TO DISPATCH AND REQUESTED HIM TO REVIEW THE ENRTE WX AND MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO A CHANGE OF RTE. HE CONCURRED WITH ME AND FILED US: SDQ DIRECT CAVEL DIRECT PLING A300 OWENZ DIRECT CAMRN DIRECT JFK. WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC UPON TAXI OUT WHICH WAS 'CLRED AS FILED, CLB AND MAINTAIN FL310.' I HAD EXPECTED SOME PROB WITH THE CLRNC AS DIRECT CAVEL DID NOT SEEM TO COMPLY WITH THE PROCS FOR TRANSITION TO SJU AIRSPACE, I.E., IT WAS NOT OVER A FIX ON THE FIR BOUNDARY. NONETHELESS, LAS AMERICAS TWR ALWAYS INCLUDES THE SID IN THEIR CLRNC, SO I ASSUMED THEY HAD THE SAME FLT PLAN WE HAD, SINCE THE NEW RTE DID NOT INCLUDE A SID. AFTER TKOF WE WERE ASKED BY LAS AMERICAS DEP WHAT OUR ROUTING WAS. WE RESPONDED IT WAS DIRECT TO CAVEL. THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF WE WERE NAVING ON A554. WE SAID NO AND WERE TOLD TO STAND BY. WE WERE THEN SWITCHED OVER TO SANTO DOMINGO CTL WHO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT OUR RTE REQUEST WAS. THE COPLT WAS NOT HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF LUCK COMMUNICATING OUR DESIRES SO I TOLD HIM TO CONTACT ZSU AND LET THEM KNOW WE WERE EXPECTING TO ENTER THEIR AIRSPACE (IN 7 MINS) OVER THE KATOK INTXN WHICH IS ON THE FIR. NEXT I REQUESTED A CLRNC FROM SANTO DOMINGO CTL TO PROCEED FROM PRESENT POS (NW OF PNA VOR BY ABOUT 45 NM) TO KATOK DIRECT CAVEL A300 AT FL310. SANTO DOMINGO CTL ISSUED THIS CLRNC TO ME SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WE ENTERED ZSU AIRSPACE AND PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT TO JFK. LESSONS LEARNED: THE 3 MOST DANGEROUS WORDS IN ATC CLRNCS ARE, 'CLRED AS FILED.' THE BEST ADVICE IS, 'WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK.' THE HAIRS WERE UP ON THE BACK OF MY NECK BUT FOR SOME REASON I DIDN'T HEED THEM.

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.