Narrative:

We had received a clearance to proceed direct to djb, direct vwv-knox-knox 3 arrival. We both interpreted the clearance to mean the knox 3 arrival with the vwv transition. As we proceeded over vwv outbound, ATC asked us if we were proceeding direct to knox, whereupon we informed him we were proceeding on the arrival. He then cleared us direct to knox then the arrival. I can certainly see how ATC wanted us to go from vwv direct to knox in retrospect, but the way it was worded at the time indicated to us we had to fly the arrival as depicted. We did not even question it at the time. Maybe a better phraseology could have been used or we might have dissected that which we received a little more thoroughly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FAILS TO FOLLOW CLRNC OVER VWV UNTIL QUERIED BY ARTCC.

Narrative: WE HAD RECEIVED A CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT TO DJB, DIRECT VWV-KNOX-KNOX 3 ARR. WE BOTH INTERPRETED THE CLRNC TO MEAN THE KNOX 3 ARR WITH THE VWV TRANSITION. AS WE PROCEEDED OVER VWV OUTBOUND, ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO KNOX, WHEREUPON WE INFORMED HIM WE WERE PROCEEDING ON THE ARR. HE THEN CLRED US DIRECT TO KNOX THEN THE ARR. I CAN CERTAINLY SEE HOW ATC WANTED US TO GO FROM VWV DIRECT TO KNOX IN RETROSPECT, BUT THE WAY IT WAS WORDED AT THE TIME INDICATED TO US WE HAD TO FLY THE ARR AS DEPICTED. WE DID NOT EVEN QUESTION IT AT THE TIME. MAYBE A BETTER PHRASEOLOGY COULD HAVE BEEN USED OR WE MIGHT HAVE DISSECTED THAT WHICH WE RECEIVED A LITTLE MORE THOROUGHLY.

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.