Narrative:

After takeoff from dtw (runway 3C) on the st. Clair one (assigned 035 degree heading) going through 6500 ft departure gave us a turn to 095 degrees direct tycob. I started a right turn to a heading of what I thought was assigned heading of 195 degrees. At the same time, I told the copilot to activate the GNS. GNS was not working properly, so I told the copilot to reprogram. Going through a 140 degree heading, copilot looked up at heading and said 'we were assigned 095 degrees.' I said 'I thought it was 195 degrees.' about same time GNS comes on- line indicating a turn back to the left to go direct tycob. I immediately started a turn back to go direct tycob. Due to controller being busy, copilot didn't read back assigned heading of 095 degrees, which if he had, probably would have prevented the heading deviation. In the future, the copilot will read back all headings and altitudes assigned, regardless of how busy the controller appears to be. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter was flying a falcon 20 equipped with a global navigation system. He admits that the GNS activation problem distracted him a bit and that he was in error about the heading. He heard, 195 degrees not 095 degrees, the controller's instructions during a discussion about the GNS. The first officer was not confused. The captain said that the flight crew followed good cockpit resource management throughout their flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG DEV HDG EXCURSION -- CAPT COPIED THE WRONG HDG, BUT FO AND THE NAV SYS BRING HIM BACK TO THE CORRECT COURSE.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM DTW (RWY 3C) ON THE ST. CLAIR ONE (ASSIGNED 035 DEG HDG) GOING THROUGH 6500 FT DEP GAVE US A TURN TO 095 DEGS DIRECT TYCOB. I STARTED A R TURN TO A HDG OF WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ASSIGNED HDG OF 195 DEGS. AT THE SAME TIME, I TOLD THE COPLT TO ACTIVATE THE GNS. GNS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, SO I TOLD THE COPLT TO REPROGRAM. GOING THROUGH A 140 DEG HDG, COPLT LOOKED UP AT HDG AND SAID 'WE WERE ASSIGNED 095 DEGS.' I SAID 'I THOUGHT IT WAS 195 DEGS.' ABOUT SAME TIME GNS COMES ON- LINE INDICATING A TURN BACK TO THE L TO GO DIRECT TYCOB. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED A TURN BACK TO GO DIRECT TYCOB. DUE TO CTLR BEING BUSY, COPLT DIDN'T READ BACK ASSIGNED HDG OF 095 DEGS, WHICH IF HE HAD, PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE HDG DEV. IN THE FUTURE, THE COPLT WILL READ BACK ALL HDGS AND ALTS ASSIGNED, REGARDLESS OF HOW BUSY THE CTLR APPEARS TO BE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A FALCON 20 EQUIPPED WITH A GLOBAL NAV SYS. HE ADMITS THAT THE GNS ACTIVATION PROB DISTRACTED HIM A BIT AND THAT HE WAS IN ERROR ABOUT THE HDG. HE HEARD, 195 DEGS NOT 095 DEGS, THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS DURING A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE GNS. THE FO WAS NOT CONFUSED. THE CAPT SAID THAT THE FLC FOLLOWED GOOD COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT THROUGHOUT THEIR FLT.

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.