Narrative:

We were climbing out of new orleans northbound en route to dfw. On the climb out, controller gave us instructions to climb to a new altitude (I think FL230) and I thought I heard him say 'expect direct aex VOR,' but the captain read back 'up to FL230 and direct aex.' the controller did not correct him and the consensus in the cockpit was that he cleared us direct. I did not hear the controller clearly enough to question the direction and turned direct aex, after verifying the instructions with the captain. I had no reason to doubt -- communication and professionalism along with crew were at a high level throughout the trip. Inspite of that, the turn direct had not been given by the controller. He asked us our heading, we told him, and he informed us that he had not issued us that clearance. The captain apologized and told him he read back direct aex. After a pause, the controller said that he missed the readback and for us to switch frequencys to the next controller. There were no aircraft on our TCASII out to 50 NM scope. The controller did not say or imply that he intended to take action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC TURNED FOR DIRECT FLT TO A VOR DURING DEP CLB AND WERE INFORMED BY ARTCC CTLR THAT THEY WERE GIVEN ONLY AN 'EXPECT DIRECT.' HOWEVER, THE CTLR HAD NOT HEARD THE CREW'S INCORRECT READBACK.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING OUT OF NEW ORLEANS NBOUND ENRTE TO DFW. ON THE CLBOUT, CTLR GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO A NEW ALT (I THINK FL230) AND I THOUGHT I HEARD HIM SAY 'EXPECT DIRECT AEX VOR,' BUT THE CAPT READ BACK 'UP TO FL230 AND DIRECT AEX.' THE CTLR DID NOT CORRECT HIM AND THE CONSENSUS IN THE COCKPIT WAS THAT HE CLRED US DIRECT. I DID NOT HEAR THE CTLR CLRLY ENOUGH TO QUESTION THE DIRECTION AND TURNED DIRECT AEX, AFTER VERIFYING THE INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE CAPT. I HAD NO REASON TO DOUBT -- COM AND PROFESSIONALISM ALONG WITH CREW WERE AT A HIGH LEVEL THROUGHOUT THE TRIP. INSPITE OF THAT, THE TURN DIRECT HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN BY THE CTLR. HE ASKED US OUR HDG, WE TOLD HIM, AND HE INFORMED US THAT HE HAD NOT ISSUED US THAT CLRNC. THE CAPT APOLOGIZED AND TOLD HIM HE READ BACK DIRECT AEX. AFTER A PAUSE, THE CTLR SAID THAT HE MISSED THE READBACK AND FOR US TO SWITCH FREQS TO THE NEXT CTLR. THERE WERE NO ACFT ON OUR TCASII OUT TO 50 NM SCOPE. THE CTLR DID NOT SAY OR IMPLY THAT HE INTENDED TO TAKE ACTION.

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.