A learjet 45 flight crew has a breakdown of cockpit CRM.

Attributes
ACN	553088
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fll.vor
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 45
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	553088
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	553085
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was acting as the first officer, and also the PF. We departed runway 8 at fxe and were flying a 090 degree heading. Shortly after departure, our radar was painting a line of cells extending on a north/south line. The captain asked for deviation south of course for the WX. ATC responded 'unable' and 'turn left heading 070 degrees.' the captain then questioned the heading and said, 'a south heading would work better for us.' ATC responded that there was a flow of traffic inbound to the area coming around the south and that the southern heading would not work. We turned to the 070 degree heading. The radar confirmed the 070 degree heading would take us north of the line. ATC advised us 'cleared direct new bight when able.' after receiving this clearance, I entered direct to new bight on the second FMS and looked at the course display on the mfd. It confirmed that a direct course would take us through the northern cell and made a direct still unsafe. I determined we would need a few more mins on this heading before making the turn. At this point, the PIC asked why I wasn't taking a turn to the south. I replied that we still needed a few mi on this heading before turning. He then said that if ATC cleared us direct to new bight, we could deviate south of the line and then proceed direct. A heading of 180 degrees or so would be necessary to stay clear of the WX. I then questioned the statement and said 'are you sure they don't want us to stay on this heading, and when clear then make the turn?' he said no, and instructed me to make the turn to the south. I was uncomfortable with this and again questioned the turn with him. Again he instructed the southern turn, at which point I turned. Soon after the turn, ATC asked for our current heading. The PIC replied '170.' ATC then proceeded to inform us that was not the intent of the clearance and that we shouldn't have made the turn. I think it is clear that a breakdown in communications occurred. As the first officer I was unsure of an appropriate response and felt that after questioning the PIC twice, my responsibility was to comply with his direction. Looking back, I think the best course of action would have been to query ATC further before taking any action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LEARJET 45 FLC HAS A BREAKDOWN OF COCKPIT CRM.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS THE FO, AND ALSO THE PF. WE DEPARTED RWY 8 AT FXE AND WERE FLYING A 090 DEG HDG. SHORTLY AFTER DEP, OUR RADAR WAS PAINTING A LINE OF CELLS EXTENDING ON A N/S LINE. THE CAPT ASKED FOR DEV S OF COURSE FOR THE WX. ATC RESPONDED 'UNABLE' AND 'TURN L HDG 070 DEGS.' THE CAPT THEN QUESTIONED THE HDG AND SAID, 'A S HDG WOULD WORK BETTER FOR US.' ATC RESPONDED THAT THERE WAS A FLOW OF TFC INBOUND TO THE AREA COMING AROUND THE S AND THAT THE SOUTHERN HDG WOULD NOT WORK. WE TURNED TO THE 070 DEG HDG. THE RADAR CONFIRMED THE 070 DEG HDG WOULD TAKE US N OF THE LINE. ATC ADVISED US 'CLRED DIRECT NEW BIGHT WHEN ABLE.' AFTER RECEIVING THIS CLRNC, I ENTERED DIRECT TO NEW BIGHT ON THE SECOND FMS AND LOOKED AT THE COURSE DISPLAY ON THE MFD. IT CONFIRMED THAT A DIRECT COURSE WOULD TAKE US THROUGH THE NORTHERN CELL AND MADE A DIRECT STILL UNSAFE. I DETERMINED WE WOULD NEED A FEW MORE MINS ON THIS HDG BEFORE MAKING THE TURN. AT THIS POINT, THE PIC ASKED WHY I WASN'T TAKING A TURN TO THE S. I REPLIED THAT WE STILL NEEDED A FEW MI ON THIS HDG BEFORE TURNING. HE THEN SAID THAT IF ATC CLRED US DIRECT TO NEW BIGHT, WE COULD DEVIATE S OF THE LINE AND THEN PROCEED DIRECT. A HDG OF 180 DEGS OR SO WOULD BE NECESSARY TO STAY CLR OF THE WX. I THEN QUESTIONED THE STATEMENT AND SAID 'ARE YOU SURE THEY DON'T WANT US TO STAY ON THIS HDG, AND WHEN CLR THEN MAKE THE TURN?' HE SAID NO, AND INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE THE TURN TO THE S. I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS AND AGAIN QUESTIONED THE TURN WITH HIM. AGAIN HE INSTRUCTED THE SOUTHERN TURN, AT WHICH POINT I TURNED. SOON AFTER THE TURN, ATC ASKED FOR OUR CURRENT HDG. THE PIC REPLIED '170.' ATC THEN PROCEEDED TO INFORM US THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT OF THE CLRNC AND THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE MADE THE TURN. I THINK IT IS CLR THAT A BREAKDOWN IN COMS OCCURRED. AS THE FO I WAS UNSURE OF AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE AND FELT THAT AFTER QUESTIONING THE PIC TWICE, MY RESPONSIBILITY WAS TO COMPLY WITH HIS DIRECTION. LOOKING BACK, I THINK THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO QUERY ATC FURTHER BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION.

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.