Narrative:

While taxiing out to mdw runway 13C; ground advised us of a rerte and told us to contact clearance delivery. Massive confusion on ground control; tower; and clearance delivery because of rertes; stops for west departures; ATC computer failures; and shift changeover. Eventually got new routing from clearance with some unfamiliar navaids. While plugging new routing into box; we were advised next for takeoff. We were cleared onto hold runway 13C; then got the following clearance; 'company number; left turn; left turn all the way around to nine zero; cleared for takeoff.' as the PF; I dialed 090 degrees in heading window; advanced throttles for takeoff. As we started rolling; I mentioned that 090 degrees was only 40 degrees left. In my mind; I was somewhat confused by; 'all the way round.' I did not ask for clarification as I should have. After liftoff; turned left to 090 degrees. Upon changing to departure; they asked us what our initial fix was. Captain responded with polo. Departure gave us a right turn to 270 degrees. No conflicts were noted and controller did not mention any problems. Upon leveloff; we discussed it and decided that tower must have meant 'all the way around two nine zero.' I think several factors contributed to this. 1) task saturation -- myself and controllers. Between rertes; computer issues; FMC loading; radio saturation; mentally I was behind. I should have asked about the heading and also slowed things down if I wasn't ready. 2) terminology -- in my mind; I'm used to hearing; 'heading 290 degrees.' however; I didn't hear; 'round to 090 degrees' as I'm also used to hearing. Once again; when confused; I should have asked.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS A HDG DEV ON DEP FROM MDW.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING OUT TO MDW RWY 13C; GND ADVISED US OF A RERTE AND TOLD US TO CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY. MASSIVE CONFUSION ON GND CTL; TWR; AND CLRNC DELIVERY BECAUSE OF RERTES; STOPS FOR W DEPS; ATC COMPUTER FAILURES; AND SHIFT CHANGEOVER. EVENTUALLY GOT NEW ROUTING FROM CLRNC WITH SOME UNFAMILIAR NAVAIDS. WHILE PLUGGING NEW ROUTING INTO BOX; WE WERE ADVISED NEXT FOR TKOF. WE WERE CLRED ONTO HOLD RWY 13C; THEN GOT THE FOLLOWING CLRNC; 'COMPANY NUMBER; L TURN; L TURN ALL THE WAY AROUND TO NINE ZERO; CLRED FOR TKOF.' AS THE PF; I DIALED 090 DEGS IN HDG WINDOW; ADVANCED THROTTLES FOR TKOF. AS WE STARTED ROLLING; I MENTIONED THAT 090 DEGS WAS ONLY 40 DEGS L. IN MY MIND; I WAS SOMEWHAT CONFUSED BY; 'ALL THE WAY ROUND.' I DID NOT ASK FOR CLARIFICATION AS I SHOULD HAVE. AFTER LIFTOFF; TURNED L TO 090 DEGS. UPON CHANGING TO DEP; THEY ASKED US WHAT OUR INITIAL FIX WAS. CAPT RESPONDED WITH POLO. DEP GAVE US A R TURN TO 270 DEGS. NO CONFLICTS WERE NOTED AND CTLR DID NOT MENTION ANY PROBS. UPON LEVELOFF; WE DISCUSSED IT AND DECIDED THAT TWR MUST HAVE MEANT 'ALL THE WAY AROUND TWO NINE ZERO.' I THINK SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS. 1) TASK SATURATION -- MYSELF AND CTLRS. BTWN RERTES; COMPUTER ISSUES; FMC LOADING; RADIO SATURATION; MENTALLY I WAS BEHIND. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE HDG AND ALSO SLOWED THINGS DOWN IF I WASN'T READY. 2) TERMINOLOGY -- IN MY MIND; I'M USED TO HEARING; 'HDG 290 DEGS.' HOWEVER; I DIDN'T HEAR; 'ROUND TO 090 DEGS' AS I'M ALSO USED TO HEARING. ONCE AGAIN; WHEN CONFUSED; I SHOULD HAVE ASKED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.