Narrative:

Flight was scheduled from las-dfw. The departure ATIS indicated using runway 1R for departure. When the first officer got the ATC clearance runway 19 was indicated, then changed back to 01 prior to taxi. After takeoff we flew the mead 8 departure, as published. While on the published 070 heading, departure control said, 'climb unrestr to 17000, and start your turn'. We understood this to mean to start the turn toward bld VOR, which we did. Then we got a TCASII alert and visually saw an airplane inbound from bld turning westward away from us. At about that same time, departure control asked if we were heading toward bld. I (captain), replied that we were, in accordance with the published SID. They replied that our clearance had been to fly 060 and expect vectors. Neither the first officer or I were aware of any such clearance. Departure control repeated that admonition, and I asked if he wanted us to do that, but he said to go ahead and go to bld. Which we did. A little later I heard departure controller tell another aircraft (I think it was the inbound airplane), 'don't worry about it, it wasn't your fault, it was the tower's fault.' they never said anything like that to us. That is why I am submitting this report. I think what really happened was, that the tower was supposed to give us the 'fly 060 and expect vectors' clearance, but during the confusion over the runway change to 19 and back to 1R, somehow, that clearance 'fell through the cracks', and we never got it. When I saw the inbound aircraft on the TCASII, it was 1500 ft above us and 5 mi away. When I saw it visually, it was in a turn heading away from us. There was never any danger of a midair. But I feel that somewhere in the system, something went wrong, and therefore I submit this report so that my feelings can go on the record.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT. HDG TRACK DEV.

Narrative: FLT WAS SCHEDULED FROM LAS-DFW. THE DEP ATIS INDICATED USING RWY 1R FOR DEP. WHEN THE FO GOT THE ATC CLRNC RWY 19 WAS INDICATED, THEN CHANGED BACK TO 01 PRIOR TO TAXI. AFTER TKOF WE FLEW THE MEAD 8 DEP, AS PUBLISHED. WHILE ON THE PUBLISHED 070 HDG, DEP CTL SAID, 'CLB UNRESTR TO 17000, AND START YOUR TURN'. WE UNDERSTOOD THIS TO MEAN TO START THE TURN TOWARD BLD VOR, WHICH WE DID. THEN WE GOT A TCASII ALERT AND VISUALLY SAW AN AIRPLANE INBOUND FROM BLD TURNING WESTWARD AWAY FROM US. AT ABOUT THAT SAME TIME, DEP CTL ASKED IF WE WERE HDG TOWARD BLD. I (CAPT), REPLIED THAT WE WERE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLISHED SID. THEY REPLIED THAT OUR CLRNC HAD BEEN TO FLY 060 AND EXPECT VECTORS. NEITHER THE FO OR I WERE AWARE OF ANY SUCH CLRNC. DEP CTL REPEATED THAT ADMONITION, AND I ASKED IF HE WANTED US TO DO THAT, BUT HE SAID TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO BLD. WHICH WE DID. A LITTLE LATER I HEARD DEP CTLR TELL ANOTHER ACFT (I THINK IT WAS THE INBOUND AIRPLANE), 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, IT WAS THE TWR'S FAULT.' THEY NEVER SAID ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO US. THAT IS WHY I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT. I THINK WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WAS, THAT THE TWR WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE US THE 'FLY 060 AND EXPECT VECTORS' CLRNC, BUT DURING THE CONFUSION OVER THE RWY CHANGE TO 19 AND BACK TO 1R, SOMEHOW, THAT CLRNC 'FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS', AND WE NEVER GOT IT. WHEN I SAW THE INBOUND ACFT ON THE TCASII, IT WAS 1500 FT ABOVE US AND 5 MI AWAY. WHEN I SAW IT VISUALLY, IT WAS IN A TURN HDG AWAY FROM US. THERE WAS NEVER ANY DANGER OF A MIDAIR. BUT I FEEL THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE SYS, SOMETHING WENT WRONG, AND THEREFORE I SUBMIT THIS RPT SO THAT MY FEELINGS CAN GO ON THE RECORD.

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.