Narrative:

We were cleared for the arrival into memphis. The chart depicted a 175 degree turn at 8 DME. We were inbound approximately 120 degree heading. We were asked at 4-5 DME to turn as the STAR depicted to do at 8 DME to 175 degree heading for vectors. No conflict existed. We called tower on ground and they said that we were not in violation. It was a nice day and we were not paying attention anticipating vectors for visual as is common. We simply made a mistake. At the time of incident we were talking about airlines going bankrupt as ours is not in good shape. I could see more serious deviations as airlines go out of business stranding employees after a lifetime of devotion to their jobs I feel bad about this but will keep more vigilance as I now know that the fact of ultimate demise and associated fears can affect my performance in the cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ON APCH FAILS TO FOLLOW STAR. ATC INTERVENES WITH VECTOR TO PROPER HDG.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ARR INTO MEMPHIS. THE CHART DEPICTED A 175 DEG TURN AT 8 DME. WE WERE INBOUND APPROX 120 DEG HDG. WE WERE ASKED AT 4-5 DME TO TURN AS THE STAR DEPICTED TO DO AT 8 DME TO 175 DEG HDG FOR VECTORS. NO CONFLICT EXISTED. WE CALLED TWR ON GND AND THEY SAID THAT WE WERE NOT IN VIOLATION. IT WAS A NICE DAY AND WE WERE NOT PAYING ATTN ANTICIPATING VECTORS FOR VISUAL AS IS COMMON. WE SIMPLY MADE A MISTAKE. AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AIRLINES GOING BANKRUPT AS OURS IS NOT IN GOOD SHAPE. I COULD SEE MORE SERIOUS DEVS AS AIRLINES GO OUT OF BUSINESS STRANDING EMPLOYEES AFTER A LIFETIME OF DEVOTION TO THEIR JOBS I FEEL BAD ABOUT THIS BUT WILL KEEP MORE VIGILANCE AS I NOW KNOW THAT THE FACT OF ULTIMATE DEMISE AND ASSOCIATED FEARS CAN AFFECT MY PERFORMANCE IN THE COCKPIT.

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.