Heading track deviation in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	309660
Time
Date	199507
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : day
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : day
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 747 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	309660
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	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:

Student and I were returning to day following a night instructional flight. Day approach had assigned us a vector of 100 degrees while we were approximately 7 mi north of the airport, expecting the visual approach to runway 24L. Approach explained that the vector was for spacing traffic. Shortly thereafter, the controller alerted us to additional traffic approaching from our 5 O'clock for runway 18. Shortly after we crossed the final to runway 18, I called the traffic at 5 O'clock in sight. My student mistakenly thought that this traffic was the cause of the initial 100 degree vector. So, he began a right turn to approximately 160 degrees at which time I told him to return to the 100 degree heading. No sooner had he begun to bank left when ATC called to ask what heading we were on. I took the controls and brought us hard left to 100 degrees notifying day approach as we passed through 110 degrees. The controller did not seem upset, she just wanted to keep her traffic separated! I made a point to tell my student the hazards of changing course/heading and complying with ATC instructions in reference to specific traffic in a heavy traffic environment. The opportunity for misident is abundant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: STUDENT AND I WERE RETURNING TO DAY FOLLOWING A NIGHT INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. DAY APCH HAD ASSIGNED US A VECTOR OF 100 DEGS WHILE WE WERE APPROX 7 MI N OF THE ARPT, EXPECTING THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24L. APCH EXPLAINED THAT THE VECTOR WAS FOR SPACING TFC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CTLR ALERTED US TO ADDITIONAL TFC APCHING FROM OUR 5 O'CLOCK FOR RWY 18. SHORTLY AFTER WE CROSSED THE FINAL TO RWY 18, I CALLED THE TFC AT 5 O'CLOCK IN SIGHT. MY STUDENT MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THAT THIS TFC WAS THE CAUSE OF THE INITIAL 100 DEG VECTOR. SO, HE BEGAN A R TURN TO APPROX 160 DEGS AT WHICH TIME I TOLD HIM TO RETURN TO THE 100 DEG HDG. NO SOONER HAD HE BEGUN TO BANK L WHEN ATC CALLED TO ASK WHAT HDG WE WERE ON. I TOOK THE CTLS AND BROUGHT US HARD L TO 100 DEGS NOTIFYING DAY APCH AS WE PASSED THROUGH 110 DEGS. THE CTLR DID NOT SEEM UPSET, SHE JUST WANTED TO KEEP HER TFC SEPARATED! I MADE A POINT TO TELL MY STUDENT THE HAZARDS OF CHANGING COURSE/HDG AND COMPLYING WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS IN REF TO SPECIFIC TFC IN A HVY TFC ENVIRONMENT. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MISIDENT IS ABUNDANT.

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.