An MD80 flight crew has a misunderstanding with ZNY as to what course they should fly.

Attributes
ACN	524530
Time
Date	200109
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : parke
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	524530
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was first officer on a flight from ewr. After takeoff, we were cleared direct sbj, sbj 302 degree radial, to parke, then J6. Captain flew to sbj, the 302 degree radial outbound. I tuned in bwz to identify parke. Climbing through 11000 ft, and prior to reaching parke, ATC cleared us left turn direct to lancaster VOR. The captain immediately turned left with 15 degrees of bank and we began our turn south. About 2/3 of the way through the turn, ATC gave us a vector to heading 220 degrees and asked why we had not turned. At that time we notified ATC of this fact. I observed traffic 500 ft below on TCASII. ATC then cleared us direct lancaster and change frequency. Later in the flight, ZDC told us we had a deviation and gave us a phone number. I honestly don't know what we did wrong -- if anything -- as we complied with all of our ATC instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW HAS A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH ZNY AS TO WHAT COURSE THEY SHOULD FLY.

Narrative: I WAS FO ON A FLT FROM EWR. AFTER TKOF, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT SBJ, SBJ 302 DEG RADIAL, TO PARKE, THEN J6. CAPT FLEW TO SBJ, THE 302 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND. I TUNED IN BWZ TO IDENT PARKE. CLBING THROUGH 11000 FT, AND PRIOR TO REACHING PARKE, ATC CLRED US L TURN DIRECT TO LANCASTER VOR. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY TURNED L WITH 15 DEGS OF BANK AND WE BEGAN OUR TURN S. ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY THROUGH THE TURN, ATC GAVE US A VECTOR TO HDG 220 DEGS AND ASKED WHY WE HAD NOT TURNED. AT THAT TIME WE NOTIFIED ATC OF THIS FACT. I OBSERVED TFC 500 FT BELOW ON TCASII. ATC THEN CLRED US DIRECT LANCASTER AND CHANGE FREQ. LATER IN THE FLT, ZDC TOLD US WE HAD A DEV AND GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DID WRONG -- IF ANYTHING -- AS WE COMPLIED WITH ALL OF OUR ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

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.