Narrative:

Upon initial contact with ZLA (124.2) we were given a vector heading of 110 degrees to circumnav thunderstorms. We were flying 110 degrees and I thought I heard center say, 'cleared on course, contact ZLA on 128.07.' at this point, the first officer left frequency to contact the company. I dialed in the frequency and started a left turn toward wilson creek. The first officer had rejoined me on 128.07 and contacted ZLA. The controller asked our heading and we replied we were in a turn toward wilson creek. He directed we turn to a heading of 035 degrees and asked who gave us the clearance. I replied the previous controller had cleared us on course. The first officer who was out of the loop said he had heard the previous controller say 'contact ZLA, 128.07, for clearance on course.' factors contributing to this deviation were: 1) my desire to turn on course without first getting an agreement with the first officer that was the controller's direction. 2) not continuing on the 110 degree heading until contacting the next controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B737 MISINTERPRETED CLRNC AND TURNED TO JOIN FLT PLAN COURSE AFTER DEVIATING AROUND TSTM BUILD-UPS. ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENED AND TURNED RPTR ON ANOTHER HEADING TO AVOID FUTURE CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC.

Narrative: UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH ZLA (124.2) WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR HDG OF 110 DEGS TO CIRCUMNAV TSTMS. WE WERE FLYING 110 DEGS AND I THOUGHT I HEARD CTR SAY, 'CLRED ON COURSE, CONTACT ZLA ON 128.07.' AT THIS POINT, THE FO LEFT FREQ TO CONTACT THE COMPANY. I DIALED IN THE FREQ AND STARTED A L TURN TOWARD WILSON CREEK. THE FO HAD REJOINED ME ON 128.07 AND CONTACTED ZLA. THE CTLR ASKED OUR HEADING AND WE REPLIED WE WERE IN A TURN TOWARD WILSON CREEK. HE DIRECTED WE TURN TO A HDG OF 035 DEGS AND ASKED WHO GAVE US THE CLRNC. I REPLIED THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD CLRED US ON COURSE. THE FO WHO WAS OUT OF THE LOOP SAID HE HAD HEARD THE PREVIOUS CTLR SAY 'CONTACT ZLA, 128.07, FOR CLRNC ON COURSE.' FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEV WERE: 1) MY DESIRE TO TURN ON COURSE WITHOUT FIRST GETTING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FO THAT WAS THE CTLR'S DIRECTION. 2) NOT CONTINUING ON THE 110 DEG HDG UNTIL CONTACTING THE NEXT CTLR.

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.