An air carrier flight crew was hard pressed to keep up with all of the routing changes after takeoff...

Attributes
ACN	303500
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ocn airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	303500
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Controller ambiguity during departure. Approaching musel during departure from sna to intercept sxc 061 degree radial per departure clearance. At 2500 ft, lax departure advises radar contact and turn left 130 heading to intercept sxc 061 degree radial. Immediately, controller revises clearance to 120 degree heading, expect thermal. After a short pause, controller issues 050 degree heading to intercept sxc 061 degree radial. We asked for confirmation and she replies sxc 061 degree radial was our clearance. No, 120 degree heading, expect thermal was our last clearance. Controller says that sxc 061 degree radial was our original clearance and we agree that it was our original but not the latest. At that time we switched controllers and again asked for clarification. Directed to 090 degree heading direct thermal, flight plan route. We respond that thermal was not on our route of flight. Assigned direct bza.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC WAS HARD PRESSED TO KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THE ROUTING CHANGES AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: CTLR AMBIGUITY DURING DEP. APCHING MUSEL DURING DEP FROM SNA TO INTERCEPT SXC 061 DEG RADIAL PER DEP CLRNC. AT 2500 FT, LAX DEP ADVISES RADAR CONTACT AND TURN L 130 HDG TO INTERCEPT SXC 061 DEG RADIAL. IMMEDIATELY, CTLR REVISES CLRNC TO 120 DEG HDG, EXPECT THERMAL. AFTER A SHORT PAUSE, CTLR ISSUES 050 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT SXC 061 DEG RADIAL. WE ASKED FOR CONFIRMATION AND SHE REPLIES SXC 061 DEG RADIAL WAS OUR CLRNC. NO, 120 DEG HDG, EXPECT THERMAL WAS OUR LAST CLRNC. CTLR SAYS THAT SXC 061 DEG RADIAL WAS OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC AND WE AGREE THAT IT WAS OUR ORIGINAL BUT NOT THE LATEST. AT THAT TIME WE SWITCHED CTLRS AND AGAIN ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION. DIRECTED TO 090 DEG HDG DIRECT THERMAL, FLT PLAN RTE. WE RESPOND THAT THERMAL WAS NOT ON OUR RTE OF FLT. ASSIGNED DIRECT BZA.

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.