A dhc-8 captain reported a miscom with ZNY regarding routing.

Attributes
ACN	510510
Time
Date	200105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cfb.vortac
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	510510
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While flying at 16000 ft MSL direct to cfb, we were asked by the controller our present position with respect to the cfb VOR. Our clearance was direct to cfb then direct syr. When we checked our position, we were 6 SM east of cfb. I asked the controller if he would like us to go direct to cfb at that time. He said it looked like we were headed direct to syr instead of cfb. We said we would turn direct to cfb and then direct to syr immediately. He told us to go direct to syr. This conversation with us implied he thought we were proceeding direct to syr, instead of direct to cfb then direct to syr, in violation of a clearance, which we were not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC-8 CAPT RPTED A MISCOM WITH ZNY REGARDING ROUTING.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING AT 16000 FT MSL DIRECT TO CFB, WE WERE ASKED BY THE CTLR OUR PRESENT POS WITH RESPECT TO THE CFB VOR. OUR CLRNC WAS DIRECT TO CFB THEN DIRECT SYR. WHEN WE CHKED OUR POS, WE WERE 6 SM E OF CFB. I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WOULD LIKE US TO GO DIRECT TO CFB AT THAT TIME. HE SAID IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE HEADED DIRECT TO SYR INSTEAD OF CFB. WE SAID WE WOULD TURN DIRECT TO CFB AND THEN DIRECT TO SYR IMMEDIATELY. HE TOLD US TO GO DIRECT TO SYR. THIS CONVERSATION WITH US IMPLIED HE THOUGHT WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO SYR, INSTEAD OF DIRECT TO CFB THEN DIRECT TO SYR, IN VIOLATION OF A CLRNC, WHICH WE WERE NOT.

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.