Air carrier X not assigned correct heading on departure. TCASII TA received.

Attributes
ACN	301030
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : las tower : las
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	301030
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Air carrier X cleared out of las via mead 8 departure which off runway 1R reads runway heading to 2 DME, right to 070 degree heading to 4000 ft, then direct bld, climbing to 7000 ft. As we rolled out of the turn toward bld, ATC asked if we were heading 060 degrees. We replied that no, we were on course to bld. ATC issued clearance to heading 060 degrees, pointed out B737 traffic on the ILS runway 25R, and asked if we had been issued a clearance to the 060 degree heading before. We had not. A min later, an air carrier flight departed and checked in with departure control, and was asked if he had been issued the 060 degree heading, to which he responded that he had. ATC's response was 'well, they're getting better, you're the first one in a while.' I can only guess that there was a bit of a communication breakdown between departure control and the tower. Fortunately there was no conflict, though we did get a TCASII TA as departure reclred us to the 060 degree heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X NOT ASSIGNED CORRECT HDG ON DEP. TCASII TA RECEIVED.

Narrative: ACR X CLRED OUT OF LAS VIA MEAD 8 DEP WHICH OFF RWY 1R READS RWY HDG TO 2 DME, R TO 070 DEG HDG TO 4000 FT, THEN DIRECT BLD, CLBING TO 7000 FT. AS WE ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN TOWARD BLD, ATC ASKED IF WE WERE HDG 060 DEGS. WE REPLIED THAT NO, WE WERE ON COURSE TO BLD. ATC ISSUED CLRNC TO HDG 060 DEGS, POINTED OUT B737 TFC ON THE ILS RWY 25R, AND ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN ISSUED A CLRNC TO THE 060 DEG HDG BEFORE. WE HAD NOT. A MIN LATER, AN ACR FLT DEPARTED AND CHKED IN WITH DEP CTL, AND WAS ASKED IF HE HAD BEEN ISSUED THE 060 DEG HDG, TO WHICH HE RESPONDED THAT HE HAD. ATC'S RESPONSE WAS 'WELL, THEY'RE GETTING BETTER, YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE IN A WHILE.' I CAN ONLY GUESS THAT THERE WAS A BIT OF A COM BREAKDOWN BTWN DEP CTL AND THE TWR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, THOUGH WE DID GET A TCASII TA AS DEP RECLRED US TO THE 060 DEG HDG.

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.