B737-800 flight crew has a track heading deviation during departure from lga on the lga 9 departure.

Attributes
ACN	696932
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : col.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	696932
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	696931
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At 17000 ft; on assigned heading I thought the controller told me to fly heading 180 degrees direct white intersection. I thought that's what I read back to her; 180 degrees direct white. We were also at 270 KTS assigned. Captain was taking care of an issue in the back and did not hear these calls. I dialed in 180 which was a good vector in that it took us right to white. LNAV engaged; here we go. Then ATC says when established direct to colts neck resume normal speed. I'm looking at my pfd showing me direct white then cyn. Colts neck is not on our flight plan so I'm thinking cyn is colts neck; and I ask her did she mean that after white and then established toward colts neck normal speed. She said (I believe) no I told you to go direct to colts neck. Captain gets off the phone and I tell him we're going direct to colts neck. He said that's not on our plan. I ask ATC for an identify for colts neck and then I see it on the lower part of the SID. It's col. About then she gives us a heading of 160 degrees and then a clearance direct to white. I misunderstood what she said; was unfamiliar with col; was expecting direct white (especially after her vector of 180 degrees took us right to white). Captain was off the air dealing with a flight attendant that was telling him that she thought the slide was hanging out of the aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 696931: the first officer appeared confused about a clearance and had selected a direct to cyn in the FMS without consulting me; thinking it was col; the fix he was cleared to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 FLT CREW HAS A TRACK HDG DEV DURING DEP FROM LGA ON THE LGA 9 DEP.

Narrative: AT 17000 FT; ON ASSIGNED HDG I THOUGHT THE CTLR TOLD ME TO FLY HDG 180 DEGS DIRECT WHITE INTXN. I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT I READ BACK TO HER; 180 DEGS DIRECT WHITE. WE WERE ALSO AT 270 KTS ASSIGNED. CAPT WAS TAKING CARE OF AN ISSUE IN THE BACK AND DID NOT HEAR THESE CALLS. I DIALED IN 180 WHICH WAS A GOOD VECTOR IN THAT IT TOOK US RIGHT TO WHITE. LNAV ENGAGED; HERE WE GO. THEN ATC SAYS WHEN ESTABLISHED DIRECT TO COLTS NECK RESUME NORMAL SPD. I'M LOOKING AT MY PFD SHOWING ME DIRECT WHITE THEN CYN. COLTS NECK IS NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN SO I'M THINKING CYN IS COLTS NECK; AND I ASK HER DID SHE MEAN THAT AFTER WHITE AND THEN ESTABLISHED TOWARD COLTS NECK NORMAL SPD. SHE SAID (I BELIEVE) NO I TOLD YOU TO GO DIRECT TO COLTS NECK. CAPT GETS OFF THE PHONE AND I TELL HIM WE'RE GOING DIRECT TO COLTS NECK. HE SAID THAT'S NOT ON OUR PLAN. I ASK ATC FOR AN IDENT FOR COLTS NECK AND THEN I SEE IT ON THE LOWER PART OF THE SID. IT'S COL. ABOUT THEN SHE GIVES US A HDG OF 160 DEGS AND THEN A CLRNC DIRECT TO WHITE. I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE SAID; WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH COL; WAS EXPECTING DIRECT WHITE (ESPECIALLY AFTER HER VECTOR OF 180 DEGS TOOK US RIGHT TO WHITE). CAPT WAS OFF THE AIR DEALING WITH A FLT ATTENDANT THAT WAS TELLING HIM THAT SHE THOUGHT THE SLIDE WAS HANGING OUT OF THE ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 696931: THE FO APPEARED CONFUSED ABOUT A CLRNC AND HAD SELECTED A DIRECT TO CYN IN THE FMS WITHOUT CONSULTING ME; THINKING IT WAS COL; THE FIX HE WAS CLRED TO.

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.