<< >> NASA ASRS Report 518270, July 2001

A B737-200 captain reported that ZMA used non standard phraseology, causing the controller, himself, to become confused with the last assigned heading.

Attributes
ACN	518270
Time
Date	200107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : mrlin
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : mrlin
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 152 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	518270
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Vectored to intercept mrlin for arrival into fll. Requested vectors for WX. After clearing tcu (thunderstorm) requested to confirm original heading as we corrected back to original instruction. ZMA answered with an ambiguous response to instructed heading by answering 'you're on it' as opposed to confirming last actual assigned heading. Center controller was saturated and lots of traffic and deviation requests. Same controller cleared us to deviate as originally requested (with a left turn as opposed to right). Then direct to fll when able. He again confused himself with what he cleared us for. We requested his phone number and soon after he admitted he was wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 CAPT RPTED THAT ZMA USED NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY, CAUSING THE CTLR, HIMSELF, TO BECOME CONFUSED WITH THE LAST ASSIGNED HEADING.

Narrative: VECTORED TO INTERCEPT MRLIN FOR ARR INTO FLL. REQUESTED VECTORS FOR WX. AFTER CLRING TCU (TSTM) REQUESTED TO CONFIRM ORIGINAL HEADING AS WE CORRECTED BACK TO ORIGINAL INSTRUCTION. ZMA ANSWERED WITH AN AMBIGUOUS RESPONSE TO INSTRUCTED HEADING BY ANSWERING 'YOU'RE ON IT' AS OPPOSED TO CONFIRMING LAST ACTUAL ASSIGNED HEADING. CTR CTLR WAS SATURATED AND LOTS OF TFC AND DEV REQUESTS. SAME CTLR CLRED US TO DEVIATE AS ORIGINALLY REQUESTED (WITH A L TURN AS OPPOSED TO R). THEN DIRECT TO FLL WHEN ABLE. HE AGAIN CONFUSED HIMSELF WITH WHAT HE CLRED US FOR. WE REQUESTED HIS PHONE NUMBER AND SOON AFTER HE ADMITTED HE WAS WRONG.

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.