Narrative:

Controller cleared us direct ulw (so we thought and read back). Controller contended he cleared us direct upon reaching FL220 which we had been cleared to. A turn away and increased climb rate kept us from having a separation problem with another aircraft. We read back what we heard (cleared to FL220 and direct ulw) and controller heard what he wanted to hear which is (cleared to FL220 and direct to ulw upon reaching).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG FAILED TO FOLLOW THEIR DEP CLRNC DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING CAUSED BY NOT REALLY HEARING THE ACTUAL CLRNC GIVEN BY ATC AND THE CTLR NOT CORRECTING THEIR READBACK.

Narrative: CTLR CLRED US DIRECT ULW (SO WE THOUGHT AND READ BACK). CTLR CONTENDED HE CLRED US DIRECT UPON REACHING FL220 WHICH WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO. A TURN AWAY AND INCREASED CLB RATE KEPT US FROM HAVING A SEPARATION PROB WITH ANOTHER ACFT. WE READ BACK WHAT WE HEARD (CLRED TO FL220 AND DIRECT ULW) AND CTLR HEARD WHAT HE WANTED TO HEAR WHICH IS (CLRED TO FL220 AND DIRECT TO ULW UPON REACHING).

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.