Pilot concerned that ARTCC not listening to readbacks.

Attributes
ACN	448050
Time
Date	199909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	448050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were just about at bdl and I requested direct to sax. ATC said they couldn't, but they cleared us direct to ign. I read back the clearance as I understood it direct to ign. In later conversation, it appeared ATC thought they cleared us direct ign then direct sax. This was not the case. Approaching sax, ATC gave us a 180 degree heading which we again read back. In a later conversation, it appeared he thought he cleared us direct to sax then a 180 degree heading. None of us heard it that way and it was not read back that way. It seems that there is no incentive for ATC to listen to readbacks and make sure they are understood the way they were meant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT CONCERNED THAT ARTCC NOT LISTENING TO READBACKS.

Narrative: WE WERE JUST ABOUT AT BDL AND I REQUESTED DIRECT TO SAX. ATC SAID THEY COULDN'T, BUT THEY CLRED US DIRECT TO IGN. I READ BACK THE CLRNC AS I UNDERSTOOD IT DIRECT TO IGN. IN LATER CONVERSATION, IT APPEARED ATC THOUGHT THEY CLRED US DIRECT IGN THEN DIRECT SAX. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. APCHING SAX, ATC GAVE US A 180 DEG HDG WHICH WE AGAIN READ BACK. IN A LATER CONVERSATION, IT APPEARED HE THOUGHT HE CLRED US DIRECT TO SAX THEN A 180 DEG HDG. NONE OF US HEARD IT THAT WAY AND IT WAS NOT READ BACK THAT WAY. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS NO INCENTIVE FOR ATC TO LISTEN TO READBACKS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE UNDERSTOOD THE WAY THEY WERE MEANT.

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.