ATC heading vector after flight crew missed turn on to airway.

Attributes
ACN	300798
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ood
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	300798
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb to cruise altitude after numerous frequency changes, heading assignments, and on course instructions, ATC asked if we were going to turn onto the ood 235 degree radial (J-42) going toward ood. We replied we were on an assigned heading. ATC advised us to immediately turn to 020 degree heading to insure we would capture the 235 degree radial to ood. We were then cleared on course. PF later informed me that we were cleared on course prior to the 020 degree heading instruction. I thought we were still on an assigned heading. When going to assigned headings to on course, communicate and verify!!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC HDG VECTOR AFTER FLC MISSED TURN ON TO AIRWAY.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO CRUISE ALT AFTER NUMEROUS FREQ CHANGES, HDG ASSIGNMENTS, AND ON COURSE INSTRUCTIONS, ATC ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO TURN ONTO THE OOD 235 DEG RADIAL (J-42) GOING TOWARD OOD. WE REPLIED WE WERE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG. ATC ADVISED US TO IMMEDIATELY TURN TO 020 DEG HDG TO INSURE WE WOULD CAPTURE THE 235 DEG RADIAL TO OOD. WE WERE THEN CLRED ON COURSE. PF LATER INFORMED ME THAT WE WERE CLRED ON COURSE PRIOR TO THE 020 DEG HDG INSTRUCTION. I THOUGHT WE WERE STILL ON AN ASSIGNED HDG. WHEN GOING TO ASSIGNED HDGS TO ON COURSE, COMMUNICATE AND VERIFY!!

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.