Narrative:

We (aircraft X) were on an IFR flight plan from naples airport, fl, to spirit of st louis airport, mo. We filed apf to srq mgm vuz direct sus. We were at FL390 approximately 10 NM from vuz VOR when ZME gave us a heading of 320 degrees. We flew this heading until approximately 8 NM west of vuz VOR. Center then told us to resume normal navigation. We turned right to 330 degrees to intercept our previous course before radar vectors to sus. ZME called us and asked what out heading was. The first officer told him we were coming through 328 degrees to intercept our course to sus. We received a call on the ground from ZME in which they questioned our action in intercepting our original course between vuz VOR and sus. Their position was that we should have gone direct present position to sus. However, the controller said to resume normal navigation -- not direct to sus. I believe that poor phraseology caused the confusion and the resulting 4 mi separation with aircraft Y instead of the required 5 mi.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HS125 FLC MISINTERPS ZME CLRNC AFTER RADAR VECTOR, RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL CLRNC AND COMES INTO CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT AT THE SAME ALT.

Narrative: WE (ACFT X) WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM NAPLES ARPT, FL, TO SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS ARPT, MO. WE FILED APF TO SRQ MGM VUZ DIRECT SUS. WE WERE AT FL390 APPROX 10 NM FROM VUZ VOR WHEN ZME GAVE US A HDG OF 320 DEGS. WE FLEW THIS HDG UNTIL APPROX 8 NM W OF VUZ VOR. CTR THEN TOLD US TO RESUME NORMAL NAV. WE TURNED R TO 330 DEGS TO INTERCEPT OUR PREVIOUS COURSE BEFORE RADAR VECTORS TO SUS. ZME CALLED US AND ASKED WHAT OUT HDG WAS. THE FO TOLD HIM WE WERE COMING THROUGH 328 DEGS TO INTERCEPT OUR COURSE TO SUS. WE RECEIVED A CALL ON THE GND FROM ZME IN WHICH THEY QUESTIONED OUR ACTION IN INTERCEPTING OUR ORIGINAL COURSE BTWN VUZ VOR AND SUS. THEIR POS WAS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE GONE DIRECT PRESENT POS TO SUS. HOWEVER, THE CTLR SAID TO RESUME NORMAL NAV -- NOT DIRECT TO SUS. I BELIEVE THAT POOR PHRASEOLOGY CAUSED THE CONFUSION AND THE RESULTING 4 MI SEPARATION WITH ACFT Y INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED 5 MI.

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.