Narrative:

We were issued a clearance from abq to 'turn left 5 degrees, when receiving alamosa, go direct.' the aircraft was in a climb through approximately FL290, assigned FL330. Our new heading was 035 degrees. All our equipment indicated the assigned VOR was left of course, and proper frequencys for the VOR tuned in. We had every indication of receiving alamosa and began a slight left turn to go direct. Climbing through approximately FL310 we were issued a clearance 'turn 20 degrees to the right, immediately.' we complied with the clearance. Another air carrier flight was also told to descend. It took 2 calls for air carrier Y to acknowledge. Our new heading was now 015 degrees. Pilot deviation distance resulted in 1600 ft altitude and 3 1/2 mi horizontal distance. We continued to FL330 and completed flight to mke. We also had on TCASII an advisory with 6 plus mi. The clearance of '5 degrees left proceed direct to alamosa when able' was probably not too correct when other possible conflicting traffic was in the area. The air carrier Y traffic was never issued or pointed out to us until there was the conflict. I believe the traffic should have been advised earlier. Supplemental information from acn 262784: the captain (PF) tuned alamosa VOR on the #1 navigation and started a left turn to heading 035 degrees. We had the flight director on and in the navigation mode. We thought we had idented alamosa and began a slow left turn towards the HSI needle, which showed the course (VOR) to our left about 360 degrees. We called the traffic in sight and shortly leveled at FL330. The traffic passed in front and well below us. I guess there was some question of our heading (035 degrees assigned or direct to alamosa) and why we were off course 40 degrees. We assumed we were cleared to navigation to the VOR when the controller thought we were flying the heading. This can be a very vague clearance sometimes. It is important to understand where you are cleared while being vectored to a fix. We were never issued any TA for the other aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT LTSS WHEN ACR X PERFORMS A HDG TRACK DEV IN NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC FROM ABQ TO 'TURN L 5 DEGS, WHEN RECEIVING ALAMOSA, GO DIRECT.' THE ACFT WAS IN A CLB THROUGH APPROX FL290, ASSIGNED FL330. OUR NEW HDG WAS 035 DEGS. ALL OUR EQUIP INDICATED THE ASSIGNED VOR WAS L OF COURSE, AND PROPER FREQS FOR THE VOR TUNED IN. WE HAD EVERY INDICATION OF RECEIVING ALAMOSA AND BEGAN A SLIGHT L TURN TO GO DIRECT. CLBING THROUGH APPROX FL310 WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC 'TURN 20 DEGS TO THE R, IMMEDIATELY.' WE COMPLIED WITH THE CLRNC. ANOTHER ACR FLT WAS ALSO TOLD TO DSND. IT TOOK 2 CALLS FOR ACR Y TO ACKNOWLEDGE. OUR NEW HDG WAS NOW 015 DEGS. PLTDEV DISTANCE RESULTED IN 1600 FT ALT AND 3 1/2 MI HORIZ DISTANCE. WE CONTINUED TO FL330 AND COMPLETED FLT TO MKE. WE ALSO HAD ON TCASII AN ADVISORY WITH 6 PLUS MI. THE CLRNC OF '5 DEGS L PROCEED DIRECT TO ALAMOSA WHEN ABLE' WAS PROBABLY NOT TOO CORRECT WHEN OTHER POSSIBLE CONFLICTING TFC WAS IN THE AREA. THE ACR Y TFC WAS NEVER ISSUED OR POINTED OUT TO US UNTIL THERE WAS THE CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THE TFC SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADVISED EARLIER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262784: THE CAPT (PF) TUNED ALAMOSA VOR ON THE #1 NAV AND STARTED A L TURN TO HDG 035 DEGS. WE HAD THE FLT DIRECTOR ON AND IN THE NAV MODE. WE THOUGHT WE HAD IDENTED ALAMOSA AND BEGAN A SLOW L TURN TOWARDS THE HSI NEEDLE, WHICH SHOWED THE COURSE (VOR) TO OUR L ABOUT 360 DEGS. WE CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT AND SHORTLY LEVELED AT FL330. THE TFC PASSED IN FRONT AND WELL BELOW US. I GUESS THERE WAS SOME QUESTION OF OUR HDG (035 DEGS ASSIGNED OR DIRECT TO ALAMOSA) AND WHY WE WERE OFF COURSE 40 DEGS. WE ASSUMED WE WERE CLRED TO NAV TO THE VOR WHEN THE CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE FLYING THE HDG. THIS CAN BE A VERY VAGUE CLRNC SOMETIMES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE CLRED WHILE BEING VECTORED TO A FIX. WE WERE NEVER ISSUED ANY TA FOR THE OTHER ACFT.

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.