C210 pilot receives an airborne clearance that the pilot assumes is correct, but challenged by ZHU.

Attributes
ACN	526289
Time
Date	200110
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : lejon
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc tracon : sat.tracon artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 2950 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	526289
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing an uncontrolled airport, 1t8, in VMC and VFR, I called sat approach asking for IFR clearance to tus. After receiving frequency change, I resubmitted clearance request and was given a SID (BOWIE3.lejon) to fst, then as filed. The controller was busy and immediately started talking to another aircraft, so I did not read back clearance. A few mins later, I confirmed SID to fst, then as filed. Controller said he thought I left out a leg to jct then fst, as filed. I told him I didn't hear that and he said he would check. He came back a min later and said, yes, that's right. I took him to mean I was right and that I was supposed to fly the published procedure to fst since that was on my original flight plan. I was then handed off to ZHU before reaching lejon. Upon reaching that intersection, I turned to 248 degrees per the departure depiction on the SID. ZHU asked my heading after a few mins. I responded and was told I had been cleared to jct, then fst. I complied and then said I thought I had confirmed this routing with departure but there had obviously been a misunderstanding. No conflicts resulted to my knowledge. Contributing factors: picking up clrncs in the air from approach controllers who are generally very busy. SID's that have multiple departure routes to the same final fix. Unclr language between controller and pilot verifying readbacks in a busy environment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT RECEIVES AN AIRBORNE CLRNC THAT THE PLT ASSUMES IS CORRECT, BUT CHALLENGED BY ZHU.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING AN UNCTLED ARPT, 1T8, IN VMC AND VFR, I CALLED SAT APCH ASKING FOR IFR CLRNC TO TUS. AFTER RECEIVING FREQ CHANGE, I RESUBMITTED CLRNC REQUEST AND WAS GIVEN A SID (BOWIE3.LEJON) TO FST, THEN AS FILED. THE CTLR WAS BUSY AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT, SO I DID NOT READ BACK CLRNC. A FEW MINS LATER, I CONFIRMED SID TO FST, THEN AS FILED. CTLR SAID HE THOUGHT I LEFT OUT A LEG TO JCT THEN FST, AS FILED. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T HEAR THAT AND HE SAID HE WOULD CHK. HE CAME BACK A MIN LATER AND SAID, YES, THAT'S RIGHT. I TOOK HIM TO MEAN I WAS RIGHT AND THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO FLY THE PUBLISHED PROC TO FST SINCE THAT WAS ON MY ORIGINAL FLT PLAN. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO ZHU BEFORE REACHING LEJON. UPON REACHING THAT INTXN, I TURNED TO 248 DEGS PER THE DEP DEPICTION ON THE SID. ZHU ASKED MY HEADING AFTER A FEW MINS. I RESPONDED AND WAS TOLD I HAD BEEN CLRED TO JCT, THEN FST. I COMPLIED AND THEN SAID I THOUGHT I HAD CONFIRMED THIS ROUTING WITH DEP BUT THERE HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING. NO CONFLICTS RESULTED TO MY KNOWLEDGE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PICKING UP CLRNCS IN THE AIR FROM APCH CTLRS WHO ARE GENERALLY VERY BUSY. SID'S THAT HAVE MULTIPLE DEP ROUTES TO THE SAME FINAL FIX. UNCLR LANGUAGE BTWN CTLR AND PLT VERIFYING READBACKS IN A BUSY ENVIRONMENT.

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.