Flight crew of medium large transport attempting to avoid thunderstorms had heading deviation. Controller very angry and stated heading assigned was for traffic separation.

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Attributes
ACN	374250
Time
Date	199707
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vkz
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	374250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were diverting around storms in the area for the majority of our flight from mco to fll so our heading was changing quite regularly. The arrival controller assigned us a heading of 150 degrees to intercept the 029 degree radial off vkz and cleared us for the remainder of the mrlin.4 arrival. I went off frequency to pick up the ATIS and call company for a gate. I noticed while off the air, the radial slowly came alive and the captain changed headings while talking to the controller. A few mins after I came back on communication #1 the controller angrily asked us what heading we were on and when I responded heading 180 degrees he said the original heading was for traffic separation and now to turn to heading 120 degrees to avoid traffic conflict. We turned with no loss of separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG ATTEMPTING TO AVOID TSTMS HAD HEADING DEV. CTLR VERY ANGRY AND STATED HEADING ASSIGNED WAS FOR TFC SEPARATION.

Narrative: WE WERE DIVERTING AROUND STORMS IN THE AREA FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR FLT FROM MCO TO FLL SO OUR HEADING WAS CHANGING QUITE REGULARLY. THE ARR CTLR ASSIGNED US A HDG OF 150 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 029 DEG RADIAL OFF VKZ AND CLRED US FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MRLIN.4 ARR. I WENT OFF FREQ TO PICK UP THE ATIS AND CALL COMPANY FOR A GATE. I NOTICED WHILE OFF THE AIR, THE RADIAL SLOWLY CAME ALIVE AND THE CAPT CHANGED HEADINGS WHILE TALKING TO THE CTLR. A FEW MINS AFTER I CAME BACK ON COM #1 THE CTLR ANGRILY ASKED US WHAT HEADING WE WERE ON AND WHEN I RESPONDED HDG 180 DEGS HE SAID THE ORIGINAL HEADING WAS FOR TFC SEPARATION AND NOW TO TURN TO HDG 120 DEGS TO AVOID TFC CONFLICT. WE TURNED WITH NO LOSS OF SEPARATION.

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.