A B737 flight crew misunderstands center controller instructions and proceeds direct wrong location.

Attributes
ACN	518110
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zlc.artcc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	518110
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	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After flying a vector per ATC request, we thought we heard we were cleared direct 'to boy' (boysen reservoir). A few mins later, ATC asked if we were direct to 'da boy,' meaning dbs/dubois. Our route was dbs-boy-ddy...earlier after takeoff. The confusion was, it sounded like we were cleared to boy, and he said ok, cleared to boysen reservoir (boy). He did not make a big deal about it, but looking back, I'm not sure whether we were actually cleared to dbs or boy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLT CREW MISUNDERSTANDS CTR CTLR INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEEDS DIRECT WRONG LOCATION.

Narrative: AFTER FLYING A VECTOR PER ATC REQUEST, WE THOUGHT WE HEARD WE WERE CLRED DIRECT 'TO BOY' (BOYSEN RESERVOIR). A FEW MINS LATER, ATC ASKED IF WE WERE DIRECT TO 'DA BOY,' MEANING DBS/DUBOIS. OUR RTE WAS DBS-BOY-DDY...EARLIER AFTER TKOF. THE CONFUSION WAS, IT SOUNDED LIKE WE WERE CLRED TO BOY, AND HE SAID OK, CLRED TO BOYSEN RESERVOIR (BOY). HE DID NOT MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT IT, BUT LOOKING BACK, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE WERE ACTUALLY CLRED TO DBS OR BOY.

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.