Clearance interpretation problem leads a B727 cargo flight crew to expect their filed route other th...

Attributes
ACN	563613
Time
Date	200209
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ood.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc artcc : zny.artcc tracon : bwi.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : swann 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	563613
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was given this clearance from baltimore's clearance departure on frequency 118.05: 'cleared to bos swann 3 woodstown 4 DME, expect FL240 10 mins after departure frequency 24.55 squawk XXXX. I don't recall hearing 'as filed.' I did not question it as there was an emergency on ground frequency at the time (an airliner had a passenger incapacitated and was returning). I looked up the route I was given -- it made sense, so I plugged it in. Company policy is to have both pilots monitoring the clearance and I did have it on the #1 radio with the loud speaker on. Our flight plan was huo, ign, baf, bos. So as we finished the swann 3 departure, we turned 30 degrees left towards huo (I had asked more direct, but 'no' was the answer). ZNY changed our heading to jfk. He asked what our clearance was, and he gave us robinsville, J222, jfk, bos! I don't know if I had a broken transmission from clearance at bwi or if I was never given the full clearance. As I recall, I only read back the clearance as I have showed. Unlike other pilots, I write down everything that clearance gives me and I have looked over my notes for any robinsville, J222, jfk, clearance and I don't have any! I don't believe that we had any conflict with other traffic but that does not make it ok. I will be certain in the future to hear 'as filed' or I will question the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC INTERP PROB LEADS A B727 CARGO FLC TO EXPECT THEIR FILED RTE OTHER THAN WHAT ATC HAD PLANNED FOR THEM WHEN DEP FOR BOS FROM BWI, MD.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN THIS CLRNC FROM BALTIMORE'S CLRNC DEP ON FREQ 118.05: 'CLRED TO BOS SWANN 3 WOODSTOWN 4 DME, EXPECT FL240 10 MINS AFTER DEP FREQ 24.55 SQUAWK XXXX. I DON'T RECALL HEARING 'AS FILED.' I DID NOT QUESTION IT AS THERE WAS AN EMER ON GND FREQ AT THE TIME (AN AIRLINER HAD A PAX INCAPACITATED AND WAS RETURNING). I LOOKED UP THE RTE I WAS GIVEN -- IT MADE SENSE, SO I PLUGGED IT IN. COMPANY POLICY IS TO HAVE BOTH PLTS MONITORING THE CLRNC AND I DID HAVE IT ON THE #1 RADIO WITH THE LOUD SPEAKER ON. OUR FLT PLAN WAS HUO, IGN, BAF, BOS. SO AS WE FINISHED THE SWANN 3 DEP, WE TURNED 30 DEGS L TOWARDS HUO (I HAD ASKED MORE DIRECT, BUT 'NO' WAS THE ANSWER). ZNY CHANGED OUR HDG TO JFK. HE ASKED WHAT OUR CLRNC WAS, AND HE GAVE US ROBINSVILLE, J222, JFK, BOS! I DON'T KNOW IF I HAD A BROKEN XMISSION FROM CLRNC AT BWI OR IF I WAS NEVER GIVEN THE FULL CLRNC. AS I RECALL, I ONLY READ BACK THE CLRNC AS I HAVE SHOWED. UNLIKE OTHER PLTS, I WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING THAT CLRNC GIVES ME AND I HAVE LOOKED OVER MY NOTES FOR ANY ROBINSVILLE, J222, JFK, CLRNC AND I DON'T HAVE ANY! I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAD ANY CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT OK. I WILL BE CERTAIN IN THE FUTURE TO HEAR 'AS FILED' OR I WILL QUESTION THE CLRNC.

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.

Clearance interpretation problem leads a B727 cargo flight crew to expect their filed route other than what ATC had planned for them when departure for bos from bwi, md.