Narrative:

We were inbound from fuzzy intersection on fuzzy 4 arrival into las. Prior to intercepting bld 080 degree radial, the ATC controller told us to proceed direct to the las VOR and descend to 10000 ft. After making the turn, I had the copilot ask the controller which runway this was for, since it was unusual to proceed direct to las. He said runway 25L and asked us where we were heading. At that point we were passing 11000 ft and the copilot pointed out traffic at 12 O'clock. We were heading right for a hang glider at approximately our altitude of 10500 ft. I rolled into a 30-40 degree right turn immediately and then rolled out to watch it pass behind us and along our left side. It was not a violent turn but it was required to create a spacing of 2000 ft between us and the hang glider. We reported this to the controller and he said he wasn't aware of this and did not paint him on radar. Then he again asked us where we were going. We told him that he had cleared us direct to las VOR and he said he meant to clear us direct to bld VOR. A heading was given and no further problems were encountered.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT DURING DSCNT AND CLRNC DIRECT LAS ENCOUNTERED HANG GLIDER WHICH REQUIRED EVASIVE MANEUVER BY ACR MLG. MISCOM BTWN APCH CTLR AND FLC ABOUT NAV. FLC HEARD DIRECT LAS AND CTLR THOUGHT HE HAD SAID DIRECT BLD.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND FROM FUZZY INTXN ON FUZZY 4 ARR INTO LAS. PRIOR TO INTERCEPTING BLD 080 DEG RADIAL, THE ATC CTLR TOLD US TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE LAS VOR AND DSND TO 10000 FT. AFTER MAKING THE TURN, I HAD THE COPLT ASK THE CTLR WHICH RWY THIS WAS FOR, SINCE IT WAS UNUSUAL TO PROCEED DIRECT TO LAS. HE SAID RWY 25L AND ASKED US WHERE WE WERE HDG. AT THAT POINT WE WERE PASSING 11000 FT AND THE COPLT POINTED OUT TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK. WE WERE HDG RIGHT FOR A HANG GLIDER AT APPROX OUR ALT OF 10500 FT. I ROLLED INTO A 30-40 DEG R TURN IMMEDIATELY AND THEN ROLLED OUT TO WATCH IT PASS BEHIND US AND ALONG OUR L SIDE. IT WAS NOT A VIOLENT TURN BUT IT WAS REQUIRED TO CREATE A SPACING OF 2000 FT BTWN US AND THE HANG GLIDER. WE RPTED THIS TO THE CTLR AND HE SAID HE WASN'T AWARE OF THIS AND DID NOT PAINT HIM ON RADAR. THEN HE AGAIN ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING. WE TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD CLRED US DIRECT TO LAS VOR AND HE SAID HE MEANT TO CLR US DIRECT TO BLD VOR. A HDG WAS GIVEN AND NO FURTHER PROBS WERE ENCOUNTERED.

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.