An air carrier DC9-30 turned on course after takeoff. Departure control expected it to fly runway heading. ATCT local controller error implied by TRACON departure controller and flight crew.

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Attributes
ACN	340809
Time
Date	199607
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd tower : pvd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	340809
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	340810
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Our filed routing was pvd pvd 180, mvy 260, shlep, etc. Pvd tower cleared us for takeoff. Passing 400 ft AGL, we commenced a left turn to 180 degrees to intercept pvd 180 degree radial. We were handed off to departure, simultaneous TA on TCASII. Departure control asked us our heading and departure instructions. We confirmed 180 degree heading and cleared as filed. He said we should have maintained runway heading to avoid traffic. He did not issue another heading. We proceeded on course. We did not get an RA nor did we see other aircraft. No further comments by departure controller regarding this situation. We suspect a breakdown in communications between tower and departure control may have led to potential traffic conflict. Supplemental information from acn 340810: when departure control was contacted, they asked us our heading and pointed out traffic to us at our 11 O'clock position which we acknowledged. We were given a right turn away from the traffic and asked why we didn't fly runway heading as instructed by the tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC9-30 TURNED ON COURSE AFTER TKOF. DEP CTL EXPECTED IT TO FLY RWY HDG. ATCT LCL CTLR ERROR IMPLIED BY TRACON DEP CTLR AND FLC.

Narrative: OUR FILED ROUTING WAS PVD PVD 180, MVY 260, SHLEP, ETC. PVD TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. PASSING 400 FT AGL, WE COMMENCED A L TURN TO 180 DEGS TO INTERCEPT PVD 180 DEG RADIAL. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO DEP, SIMULTANEOUS TA ON TCASII. DEP CTL ASKED US OUR HDG AND DEP INSTRUCTIONS. WE CONFIRMED 180 DEG HDG AND CLRED AS FILED. HE SAID WE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED RWY HDG TO AVOID TFC. HE DID NOT ISSUE ANOTHER HDG. WE PROCEEDED ON COURSE. WE DID NOT GET AN RA NOR DID WE SEE OTHER ACFT. NO FURTHER COMMENTS BY DEP CTLR REGARDING THIS SIT. WE SUSPECT A BREAKDOWN IN COMS BTWN TWR AND DEP CTL MAY HAVE LED TO POTENTIAL TFC CONFLICT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 340810: WHEN DEP CTL WAS CONTACTED, THEY ASKED US OUR HDG AND POINTED OUT TFC TO US AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGED. WE WERE GIVEN A R TURN AWAY FROM THE TFC AND ASKED WHY WE DIDN'T FLY RWY HDG AS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR.

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.