Approach controller's phraseology causes air carrier medium large transport to overshoot radial.

Attributes
ACN	142316
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : slc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	142316
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	142332
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On arrival into slc area (en route from psp) there were numerous areas of heavy precipitation showing on our WX radar. I was flying when slc approach cleared us down to 9000' MSL to intercept and fly inbound on the slc 159 degree right. Due to some heavy WX the captain asked for a deviation to the east. The approach controller approved the request but said not to deviate more than 5 mi east. The captain and I were trying to run the approach checklist as well as navigation back to the 159 degree right from our ene heading. About the time there was a chance to make a left turn back toward the 159 degree right, a controller came up on the radio and said for us to make an immediate left turn to 300 degrees due to minimum vectoring lt and terrain to our east. We initiated our left turn. After passing the slc 159 degree right on a 300 degree heading we were just going to call approach to see if they wanted us on a 300 degree heading or to reintercept the 159 degree right when a controller asked us where we were going and told us to head straight to slc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR'S PHRASEOLOGY CAUSES ACR MLG TO OVERSHOOT RADIAL.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO SLC AREA (ENRTE FROM PSP) THERE WERE NUMEROUS AREAS OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION SHOWING ON OUR WX RADAR. I WAS FLYING WHEN SLC APCH CLRED US DOWN TO 9000' MSL TO INTERCEPT AND FLY INBND ON THE SLC 159 DEG R. DUE TO SOME HEAVY WX THE CAPT ASKED FOR A DEVIATION TO THE E. THE APCH CTLR APPROVED THE REQUEST BUT SAID NOT TO DEVIATE MORE THAN 5 MI E. THE CAPT AND I WERE TRYING TO RUN THE APCH CHKLIST AS WELL AS NAV BACK TO THE 159 DEG R FROM OUR ENE HDG. ABOUT THE TIME THERE WAS A CHANCE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN BACK TOWARD THE 159 DEG R, A CTLR CAME UP ON THE RADIO AND SAID FOR US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE LEFT TURN TO 300 DEGS DUE TO MINIMUM VECTORING LT AND TERRAIN TO OUR E. WE INITIATED OUR LEFT TURN. AFTER PASSING THE SLC 159 DEG R ON A 300 DEG HDG WE WERE JUST GOING TO CALL APCH TO SEE IF THEY WANTED US ON A 300 DEG HDG OR TO REINTERCEPT THE 159 DEG R WHEN A CTLR ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING AND TOLD US TO HEAD STRAIGHT TO SLC.

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.