Charter small transport deviated from clearance route causing less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	89026
Time
Date	198806
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lib airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : ewr
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	89026
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 22200 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The situation was in the beginning of a flight from rdu to day. When leaving rdu nwbound it is very common to receive a 270 degree heading to the lib VORTAC. This particular day I received that clearance from rdu departure. Rdu departure then handed us off to washington center, which also gave us the same 270 degree heading. Upon reaching the lib VORTAC I made my turn to the next fix which was psk VORTAC. After making the turn the controller came back and asked my heading. I told him of our direction and he turned us back wbound. The flight continued from that point and after being handed over to atl center they gave us a number to call for a course deviation with quality assurance. I called quality assurance and they said a report had to be filed because we were 3.7 mi and 700' of another aircraft. I realize that this is a busy time of day, but the two 270 degree heading clrncs are so closely related that I think that they should be more specific in the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER SMT DEVIATED FROM CLRNC ROUTE CAUSING LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: THE SITUATION WAS IN THE BEGINNING OF A FLT FROM RDU TO DAY. WHEN LEAVING RDU NWBOUND IT IS VERY COMMON TO RECEIVE A 270 DEG HDG TO THE LIB VORTAC. THIS PARTICULAR DAY I RECEIVED THAT CLRNC FROM RDU DEP. RDU DEP THEN HANDED US OFF TO WASHINGTON CENTER, WHICH ALSO GAVE US THE SAME 270 DEG HDG. UPON REACHING THE LIB VORTAC I MADE MY TURN TO THE NEXT FIX WHICH WAS PSK VORTAC. AFTER MAKING THE TURN THE CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED MY HDG. I TOLD HIM OF OUR DIRECTION AND HE TURNED US BACK WBOUND. THE FLT CONTINUED FROM THAT POINT AND AFTER BEING HANDED OVER TO ATL CENTER THEY GAVE US A NUMBER TO CALL FOR A COURSE DEVIATION WITH QUALITY ASSURANCE. I CALLED QUALITY ASSURANCE AND THEY SAID A RPT HAD TO BE FILED BECAUSE WE WERE 3.7 MI AND 700' OF ANOTHER ACFT. I REALIZE THAT THIS IS A BUSY TIME OF DAY, BUT THE TWO 270 DEG HDG CLRNCS ARE SO CLOSELY RELATED THAT I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE MORE SPECIFIC IN THE CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.