A320 flight crew is not perceived follow ZDC clearance and turns early during the next cleared fix.

Attributes
ACN	601856
Time
Date	200312
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : yeast
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 24000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : yeast enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	601856
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Departing richmond on yeast 1 departure and after checking in with ZDC, controller cleared us to FL270. We were on the radial to yeast intersection in navigation mode and the next fix was mol and then hvq. We requested direct to hvq and the controller replied that he needed us on the radial to yeast, but then cleared us to hvq after yeast. At the time of the clearance, airplane was 35 NM from ric and had started a shallow turn to mol. We entered hvq after yeast in the FMC. Airplane started to roll back towards yeast and then started a shallow turn towards hvq at about 40 NM from ric. Yeast intersection is 50 NM from ric. ATC seemed upset that we had turned toward hvq 10 NM too early and did not fly over yeast. We were puzzled that he never told us to fly over yeast and plus it's not a flyover point. We explained to him how this airbus FMC works, but he did not seem to be satisfied. There was no other traffic at that time around us and we were at FL270 by then and were given a frequency change.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW IS NOT PERCEIVED FOLLOW ZDC CLRNC AND TURNS EARLY DURING THE NEXT CLRED FIX.

Narrative: DEPARTING RICHMOND ON YEAST 1 DEP AND AFTER CHKING IN WITH ZDC, CTLR CLRED US TO FL270. WE WERE ON THE RADIAL TO YEAST INTXN IN NAV MODE AND THE NEXT FIX WAS MOL AND THEN HVQ. WE REQUESTED DIRECT TO HVQ AND THE CTLR REPLIED THAT HE NEEDED US ON THE RADIAL TO YEAST, BUT THEN CLRED US TO HVQ AFTER YEAST. AT THE TIME OF THE CLRNC, AIRPLANE WAS 35 NM FROM RIC AND HAD STARTED A SHALLOW TURN TO MOL. WE ENTERED HVQ AFTER YEAST IN THE FMC. AIRPLANE STARTED TO ROLL BACK TOWARDS YEAST AND THEN STARTED A SHALLOW TURN TOWARDS HVQ AT ABOUT 40 NM FROM RIC. YEAST INTXN IS 50 NM FROM RIC. ATC SEEMED UPSET THAT WE HAD TURNED TOWARD HVQ 10 NM TOO EARLY AND DID NOT FLY OVER YEAST. WE WERE PUZZLED THAT HE NEVER TOLD US TO FLY OVER YEAST AND PLUS IT'S NOT A FLYOVER POINT. WE EXPLAINED TO HIM HOW THIS AIRBUS FMC WORKS, BUT HE DID NOT SEEM TO BE SATISFIED. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC AT THAT TIME AROUND US AND WE WERE AT FL270 BY THEN AND WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE.

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.