A ce-560 flight crew misinterps clearance from approach controller.

Attributes
ACN	519610
Time
Date	200108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mxe.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 9300 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	519610
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My first officer, also a captain and senior to me in the company, obtained our clearance and programmed the FMS accordingly. We departed and he mentioned a question he had about part of the clearance, so I suggested he clarify it with the controller as soon as possible. As we approached mxe VOR, he tried to raise the controller repeatedly with no response. As we crossed mxe and turned outbound on the 051 degree radial (the clearance my co-captain believed to be correct by trying to clarify), the controller called us and advised we were 'going the wrong way.' he gave us a turn to 270 degrees then asked what clearance we were given. My co-captain read it to him and nothing more was said. When I had time a bit later in the flight, I looked over the clearance and could see where the confusion might be, and we resolved the understanding amongst ourselves, ie, myself and my co-captain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CE-560 FLT CREW MISINTERPS CLRNC FROM APCH CTLR.

Narrative: MY FO, ALSO A CAPT AND SENIOR TO ME IN THE COMPANY, OBTAINED OUR CLRNC AND PROGRAMMED THE FMS ACCORDINGLY. WE DEPARTED AND HE MENTIONED A QUESTION HE HAD ABOUT PART OF THE CLRNC, SO I SUGGESTED HE CLARIFY IT WITH THE CTLR ASAP. AS WE APCHED MXE VOR, HE TRIED TO RAISE THE CTLR REPEATEDLY WITH NO RESPONSE. AS WE CROSSED MXE AND TURNED OUTBOUND ON THE 051 DEG RADIAL (THE CLRNC MY CO-CAPT BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT BY TRYING TO CLARIFY), THE CTLR CALLED US AND ADVISED WE WERE 'GOING THE WRONG WAY.' HE GAVE US A TURN TO 270 DEGS THEN ASKED WHAT CLRNC WE WERE GIVEN. MY CO-CAPT READ IT TO HIM AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID. WHEN I HAD TIME A BIT LATER IN THE FLT, I LOOKED OVER THE CLRNC AND COULD SEE WHERE THE CONFUSION MIGHT BE, AND WE RESOLVED THE UNDERSTANDING AMONGST OURSELVES, IE, MYSELF AND MY CO-CAPT.

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.