Track deviation occurred when F100 crew were unable to verify heading due to frequency congestion.

Attributes
ACN	517160
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : swf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	517160
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

On departure from swf, controller issued amended clearance. Original was heading 310 degrees, 17000 ft. We heard 15000 ft, direct lhy and after recalling controller. Another aircraft transmitting on frequency had heterodyned into his transmission. We got no answer even though we transmitted blocked, so we began our turn to the left to proceed direct lhy. As we passed 290 degree heading, approximately 13500 ft, controller recalled and gave heading 320 degrees. His next comment was that we were not proceeding as cleared and gave us the ZBW number to call at ord. Matter with the center supervisor and they agreed that no loss of separation occurred, but the problem here and in the hpn areas there overlapping boston and ZNY sector boundaries which require extra vectoring which differs from the SID. As the supervisor indicated, no further action required. This report is for record/information purposes only. To clarify the actual second clearance given as stated by ATC was 310 degree heading, out of 1500 ft, direct lhy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV OCCURRED WHEN F100 CREW WERE UNABLE TO VERIFY HDG DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM SWF, CTLR ISSUED AMENDED CLRNC. ORIGINAL WAS HDG 310 DEGS, 17000 FT. WE HEARD 15000 FT, DIRECT LHY AND AFTER RECALLING CTLR. ANOTHER ACFT XMITTING ON FREQ HAD HETERODYNED INTO HIS XMISSION. WE GOT NO ANSWER EVEN THOUGH WE XMITTED BLOCKED, SO WE BEGAN OUR TURN TO THE L TO PROCEED DIRECT LHY. AS WE PASSED 290 DEG HDG, APPROX 13500 FT, CTLR RECALLED AND GAVE HDG 320 DEGS. HIS NEXT COMMENT WAS THAT WE WERE NOT PROCEEDING AS CLRED AND GAVE US THE ZBW NUMBER TO CALL AT ORD. MATTER WITH THE CTR SUPVR AND THEY AGREED THAT NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED, BUT THE PROB HERE AND IN THE HPN AREAS THERE OVERLAPPING BOSTON AND ZNY SECTOR BOUNDARIES WHICH REQUIRE EXTRA VECTORING WHICH DIFFERS FROM THE SID. AS THE SUPVR INDICATED, NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED. THIS RPT IS FOR RECORD/INFO PURPOSES ONLY. TO CLARIFY THE ACTUAL SECOND CLRNC GIVEN AS STATED BY ATC WAS 310 DEG HDG, OUT OF 1500 FT, DIRECT LHY.

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.