Heading problem. Aircraft or ATC.

Attributes
ACN	294960
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mkj
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bil
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31T Cheyenne II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	294960
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departure from mkj, va, ZTL cleared me 'as filed direct 7000 ft.' the heading for direct, jvy, was 300 degrees. After reaching altitude and heading, center came back and said 'turn right 340 degrees short vector for traffic.' the next clearance was 'climb and maintain 15000 ft through 9000 ft cleared on course.' at 9500 ft, I turned left to 300 degrees. After about 30 seconds center came back and said 'turn right 340 degrees' I started my turn, center came back and said 'turn immediately to a heading of north.' the next statement made by the controller was that either my equipment was malfunctioning or he was having equipment problems. The controller then handed me off to the next sector. I was never clear if he was aware that I understood and I read back the clearance of 'through 9000 ft cleared on course.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG PROB. ACFT OR ATC.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM MKJ, VA, ZTL CLRED ME 'AS FILED DIRECT 7000 FT.' THE HDG FOR DIRECT, JVY, WAS 300 DEGS. AFTER REACHING ALT AND HDG, CTR CAME BACK AND SAID 'TURN R 340 DEGS SHORT VECTOR FOR TFC.' THE NEXT CLRNC WAS 'CLB AND MAINTAIN 15000 FT THROUGH 9000 FT CLRED ON COURSE.' AT 9500 FT, I TURNED L TO 300 DEGS. AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS CTR CAME BACK AND SAID 'TURN R 340 DEGS' I STARTED MY TURN, CTR CAME BACK AND SAID 'TURN IMMEDIATELY TO A HDG OF N.' THE NEXT STATEMENT MADE BY THE CTLR WAS THAT EITHER MY EQUIP WAS MALFUNCTIONING OR HE WAS HAVING EQUIP PROBS. THE CTLR THEN HANDED ME OFF TO THE NEXT SECTOR. I WAS NEVER CLR IF HE WAS AWARE THAT I UNDERSTOOD AND I READ BACK THE CLRNC OF 'THROUGH 9000 FT CLRED ON COURSE.'

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.