Narrative:

Prior to departing apa, we were told to expect the plains two departure with the goodland transition. Prior to the takeoff clearance, the tower informed us to initially fly tower assigned heading and climb to an initial altitude of 8000 ft. Following this departure we were told to contact denver departure. After establishing contact with denver, we were instructed to turn to a southwesterly heading of 210 degrees and climb to and maintain 12000 ft. After flying this heading and altitude for a couple of moments, we were instructed to make a right turn to a heading of 030 degrees and climb to and maintain FL230. The PNF was unsure of the exact heading and read back '020 degrees and FL230.' the controller responded with the initial heading assignment of 'right turn to 030 degrees.' during this process of clarification I had initiated the right turn to 030 degrees and also began the climb to FL230. After passing through 14300 ft the controller issued a command to increase the rate of turn and turn further right to a heading of 080 degrees for traffic avoidance at the same time the controller issued this command we received a TCASII TA indicting traffic at our 3 O'clock position, within 5 NM. It was clear that the turn to 080 degrees would keep us away from the conflicting traffic. After we were established on the 080 degree heading the controller informed us that we had originally been instructed to first turn to a heading of 030 degrees then climb to and maintain FL230. The PNF apologized to the controller and informed him that we must have misunderstood his instructions. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. The PNF and I discussed this event following the incident and agreed that we did not hear the controller's command to first turn to the 030 degree heading then climb to FL230. The initial confusion on the part of the PNF as to the exact initial heading and the quickness to which the controller issued the instructions contributed to this break down in communication. Additionally as the PF, I should not have initiated the right turn or the climb until both crew members were in agreement as to what the exact instructions were.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FALCON 50 WAS ISSUED CLRNC TO TURN FROM 210 DEGS TO 030 DEGS CLB TO FL230. RPTR BEGAN TURN AND CLB. NEARING 030 DEGS GOT TCASII AND CTLR ADVISED TO CONTINUE TURN TO 080 DEGS. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. CTLR HAD WANTED THE TURN TO 030 DEGS BEFORE BEGINNING CLB.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEPARTING APA, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT THE PLAINS TWO DEP WITH THE GOODLAND TRANSITION. PRIOR TO THE TKOF CLRNC, THE TWR INFORMED US TO INITIALLY FLY TWR ASSIGNED HEADING AND CLB TO AN INITIAL ALT OF 8000 FT. FOLLOWING THIS DEP WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DENVER DEP. AFTER ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH DENVER, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO A SOUTHWESTERLY HDG OF 210 DEGS AND CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT. AFTER FLYING THIS HEADING AND ALT FOR A COUPLE OF MOMENTS, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A R TURN TO A HDG OF 030 DEGS AND CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL230. THE PNF WAS UNSURE OF THE EXACT HEADING AND READ BACK '020 DEGS AND FL230.' THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH THE INITIAL HEADING ASSIGNMENT OF 'R TURN TO 030 DEGS.' DURING THIS PROCESS OF CLARIFICATION I HAD INITIATED THE R TURN TO 030 DEGS AND ALSO BEGAN THE CLB TO FL230. AFTER PASSING THROUGH 14300 FT THE CTLR ISSUED A COMMAND TO INCREASE THE RATE OF TURN AND TURN FURTHER R TO A HDG OF 080 DEGS FOR TFC AVOIDANCE AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR ISSUED THIS COMMAND WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA INDICTING TFC AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS, WITHIN 5 NM. IT WAS CLR THAT THE TURN TO 080 DEGS WOULD KEEP US AWAY FROM THE CONFLICTING TFC. AFTER WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE 080 DEG HDG THE CTLR INFORMED US THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN INSTRUCTED TO FIRST TURN TO A HDG OF 030 DEGS THEN CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL230. THE PNF APOLOGIZED TO THE CTLR AND INFORMED HIM THAT WE MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD HIS INSTRUCTIONS. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE PNF AND I DISCUSSED THIS EVENT FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT AND AGREED THAT WE DID NOT HEAR THE CTLR'S COMMAND TO FIRST TURN TO THE 030 DEG HDG THEN CLB TO FL230. THE INITIAL CONFUSION ON THE PART OF THE PNF AS TO THE EXACT INITIAL HEADING AND THE QUICKNESS TO WHICH THE CTLR ISSUED THE INSTRUCTIONS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS BREAK DOWN IN COM. ADDITIONALLY AS THE PF, I SHOULD NOT HAVE INITIATED THE R TURN OR THE CLB UNTIL BOTH CREW MEMBERS WERE IN AGREEMENT AS TO WHAT THE EXACT INSTRUCTIONS WERE.

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.