Narrative:

During busy phase of flight with heavy radio congestion, clearance to maintain a heading and question resulted in aircraft being returned to original route of flight, creating a potential altitude conflict. At XA30Z feb/xa/00, 6 mi west of putnam VOR, air carrier abc was told to turn right 15 degrees heading 315 degrees and climb to FL230. Shortly after aircraft was called 'are you proceeding to nelie,' responded affirmative, proceeding to 'nelie' and turned. Was told to level at 16000 ft and wait for bizjet traffic to pass. Additionally, crew was involved in a pressurization change due to a special 'bleeds off' takeoff and radio frequency was heavily congested. Aircraft then cleared direct to carmel VOR and flight plan route. Supplemental information from acn 462733: on climb out from pvd, ATC gave flight abc a heading to maintain 315 degrees or 15 degrees right of our original course. Flight abc was cleared to FL230. Several mins later, flight abc was asked if we were proceeding direct to nelie. We then turned to proceed direct to nelie and then were told to maintain 16000 ft to wait for another aircraft to pass. ATC was busy and crew was working with a 'bleeds off' takeoff, which added to the confusion. After traffic passed, flight abc was then cleared direct cmk to proceed on original flight plan route.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW HAD TRACK DEV.

Narrative: DURING BUSY PHASE OF FLT WITH HVY RADIO CONGESTION, CLRNC TO MAINTAIN A HDG AND QUESTION RESULTED IN ACFT BEING RETURNED TO ORIGINAL RTE OF FLT, CREATING A POTENTIAL ALT CONFLICT. AT XA30Z FEB/XA/00, 6 MI W OF PUTNAM VOR, ACR ABC WAS TOLD TO TURN R 15 DEGS HDG 315 DEGS AND CLB TO FL230. SHORTLY AFTER ACFT WAS CALLED 'ARE YOU PROCEEDING TO NELIE,' RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE, PROCEEDING TO 'NELIE' AND TURNED. WAS TOLD TO LEVEL AT 16000 FT AND WAIT FOR BIZJET TFC TO PASS. ADDITIONALLY, CREW WAS INVOLVED IN A PRESSURIZATION CHANGE DUE TO A SPECIAL 'BLEEDS OFF' TKOF AND RADIO FREQ WAS HEAVILY CONGESTED. ACFT THEN CLRED DIRECT TO CARMEL VOR AND FLT PLAN RTE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 462733: ON CLBOUT FROM PVD, ATC GAVE FLT ABC A HDG TO MAINTAIN 315 DEGS OR 15 DEGS R OF OUR ORIGINAL COURSE. FLT ABC WAS CLRED TO FL230. SEVERAL MINS LATER, FLT ABC WAS ASKED IF WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO NELIE. WE THEN TURNED TO PROCEED DIRECT TO NELIE AND THEN WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 16000 FT TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER ACFT TO PASS. ATC WAS BUSY AND CREW WAS WORKING WITH A 'BLEEDS OFF' TKOF, WHICH ADDED TO THE CONFUSION. AFTER TFC PASSED, FLT ABC WAS THEN CLRED DIRECT CMK TO PROCEED ON ORIGINAL FLT PLAN RTE.

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.