Narrative:

Air carrier X flight from iad-cle. En route, during cruise flight which began at FL180, we descended to 12000 ft to avoid headwinds. Originally we were cleared direct jst J211 yng cxr. We then were reclred by ZOB direct jst, direct yng, direct cxr, direct cle. We then were cleared to descend to 8000 ft passing jst. While proceeding direct yng, the VOR signal began to waiver. We informed ZOB that we lost the signal and asked 'do you have a heading for yng.' center responded by saying, 'fly heading 340 degrees.' after about 10 NM the signal for yng VOR came back in and we flew direct to yng VOR once again. About 10-15 mins later ZOB asked us if we were still on the 340 degree heading. We informed, 'no,' that we were direct yng VOR. He responded that he had given us the 340 degree heading to keep us out of pit's airspace. We told him we thought the heading was for the VOR. Nothing more was said, and the flight continued on without any further problems. When the controller gave us the 340 degree heading, he should have stated what it was for. We should have asked what the heading was for instead of assuming that it was for the VOR. Once we turned back toward the VOR we should have informed him that we were proceeding direct.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X CLRNC INTERP NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC PROCEEDED DIRECT VOR WHEN ASSIGNED RADAR VECTOR HDG.

Narrative: ACR X FLT FROM IAD-CLE. ENRTE, DURING CRUISE FLT WHICH BEGAN AT FL180, WE DSNDED TO 12000 FT TO AVOID HEADWINDS. ORIGINALLY WE WERE CLRED DIRECT JST J211 YNG CXR. WE THEN WERE RECLRED BY ZOB DIRECT JST, DIRECT YNG, DIRECT CXR, DIRECT CLE. WE THEN WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 8000 FT PASSING JST. WHILE PROCEEDING DIRECT YNG, THE VOR SIGNAL BEGAN TO WAIVER. WE INFORMED ZOB THAT WE LOST THE SIGNAL AND ASKED 'DO YOU HAVE A HDG FOR YNG.' CTR RESPONDED BY SAYING, 'FLY HDG 340 DEGS.' AFTER ABOUT 10 NM THE SIGNAL FOR YNG VOR CAME BACK IN AND WE FLEW DIRECT TO YNG VOR ONCE AGAIN. ABOUT 10-15 MINS LATER ZOB ASKED US IF WE WERE STILL ON THE 340 DEG HDG. WE INFORMED, 'NO,' THAT WE WERE DIRECT YNG VOR. HE RESPONDED THAT HE HAD GIVEN US THE 340 DEG HDG TO KEEP US OUT OF PIT'S AIRSPACE. WE TOLD HIM WE THOUGHT THE HDG WAS FOR THE VOR. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID, AND THE FLT CONTINUED ON WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. WHEN THE CTLR GAVE US THE 340 DEG HDG, HE SHOULD HAVE STATED WHAT IT WAS FOR. WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED WHAT THE HDG WAS FOR INSTEAD OF ASSUMING THAT IT WAS FOR THE VOR. ONCE WE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE VOR WE SHOULD HAVE INFORMED HIM THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT.

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.