Air carrier X refused clearance due to company operating manual.

Attributes
ACN	295465
Time
Date	199502
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cng
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	295465
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying on a flight planned route from sdf to mem, a ZME controller cleared us direct middy intersection. Per our company operations manual, if the crew has not been over the route filed in the last 90 days -- they must fly the full flight plan route. I advised the controller that we could not take a shortcut/deviation in our route. The controller was confused and asked why not. I explained that we had to stay on the filed route. His next transmission was okay, fly cng, dyl, middy, middy 1 (the filed route). This seemed normal. After a few min our next received transmission was from his supervisor -- asking what the problem/confusion was -- and why we hadn't followed the controller's instructions. We had had no indication from the previous controller of a conflict or problem, so now we were confused. At this point the PF/captain asked the controller what he needed us to do. He told us to go direct middy for aircraft sequencing. We agreed to the deviation, and reported that the first controller did not indicate he needed the deviation for sequencing, WX, conflict, etc. That was the last transmission per that event. If the initial controller had a problem with us not deviating, he should let the crew know why and what - - not agree and then call his supervisor to the channel. This created more confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X REFUSED CLRNC DUE TO COMPANY OPERATING MANUAL.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING ON A FLT PLANNED RTE FROM SDF TO MEM, A ZME CTLR CLRED US DIRECT MIDDY INTXN. PER OUR COMPANY OPS MANUAL, IF THE CREW HAS NOT BEEN OVER THE RTE FILED IN THE LAST 90 DAYS -- THEY MUST FLY THE FULL FLT PLAN RTE. I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE COULD NOT TAKE A SHORTCUT/DEV IN OUR RTE. THE CTLR WAS CONFUSED AND ASKED WHY NOT. I EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD TO STAY ON THE FILED RTE. HIS NEXT XMISSION WAS OKAY, FLY CNG, DYL, MIDDY, MIDDY 1 (THE FILED RTE). THIS SEEMED NORMAL. AFTER A FEW MIN OUR NEXT RECEIVED XMISSION WAS FROM HIS SUPVR -- ASKING WHAT THE PROB/CONFUSION WAS -- AND WHY WE HADN'T FOLLOWED THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. WE HAD HAD NO INDICATION FROM THE PREVIOUS CTLR OF A CONFLICT OR PROB, SO NOW WE WERE CONFUSED. AT THIS POINT THE PF/CAPT ASKED THE CTLR WHAT HE NEEDED US TO DO. HE TOLD US TO GO DIRECT MIDDY FOR ACFT SEQUENCING. WE AGREED TO THE DEV, AND RPTED THAT THE FIRST CTLR DID NOT INDICATE HE NEEDED THE DEV FOR SEQUENCING, WX, CONFLICT, ETC. THAT WAS THE LAST XMISSION PER THAT EVENT. IF THE INITIAL CTLR HAD A PROB WITH US NOT DEVIATING, HE SHOULD LET THE CREW KNOW WHY AND WHAT - - NOT AGREE AND THEN CALL HIS SUPVR TO THE CHANNEL. THIS CREATED MORE CONFUSION.

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.