Super MD80 on downwind runway 27R. Descending to 3000 ft given vector 070 degrees, captain, PF, thought base leg and began turn to 170 degrees. Observer noted error and called to captain's attention and the controller also questioned the turn and said maintain 4000 ft. Got TCASII to monitor vertical speed. Long day and flight crew tired.

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Attributes
ACN	363290
Time
Date	199703
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	363290
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Location: approximately 12 DME northeast ord. On extended downwind runway 27R descending through 4500 ft MSL for 3000 ft MSL given a left turn to 070 degrees, I think that because I was expecting a turn to base I thought that I was cleared to 170 degrees. After turning 20 degrees a commuting pilot in the jump seat caught my mistake and I began turning back left to 070 degrees. The controller noticed our turn and told us to expedite turn to 070 degrees and level off at 4000 ft MSL. During the turn we received a TCASII warning to monitor vertical speed. This occurred at the end of a long day over 8 hours flying and delays caused by deicing, strong winds and snow squalls. This event shows how important it is to maintain concentration, alertness and situational awareness especially at the end of a long day. Checking TCASII before beginning a turn in the terminal area when in and out of areas of reduced visibility might also help avert this kind of mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPER MD80 ON DOWNWIND RWY 27R. DSNDING TO 3000 FT GIVEN VECTOR 070 DEGS, CAPT, PF, THOUGHT BASE LEG AND BEGAN TURN TO 170 DEGS. OBSERVER NOTED ERROR AND CALLED TO CAPT'S ATTN AND THE CTLR ALSO QUESTIONED THE TURN AND SAID MAINTAIN 4000 FT. GOT TCASII TO MONITOR VERT SPD. LONG DAY AND FLC TIRED.

Narrative: LOCATION: APPROX 12 DME NE ORD. ON EXTENDED DOWNWIND RWY 27R DSNDING THROUGH 4500 FT MSL FOR 3000 FT MSL GIVEN A L TURN TO 070 DEGS, I THINK THAT BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING A TURN TO BASE I THOUGHT THAT I WAS CLRED TO 170 DEGS. AFTER TURNING 20 DEGS A COMMUTING PLT IN THE JUMP SEAT CAUGHT MY MISTAKE AND I BEGAN TURNING BACK L TO 070 DEGS. THE CTLR NOTICED OUR TURN AND TOLD US TO EXPEDITE TURN TO 070 DEGS AND LEVEL OFF AT 4000 FT MSL. DURING THE TURN WE RECEIVED A TCASII WARNING TO MONITOR VERT SPD. THIS OCCURRED AT THE END OF A LONG DAY OVER 8 HRS FLYING AND DELAYS CAUSED BY DEICING, STRONG WINDS AND SNOW SQUALLS. THIS EVENT SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAINTAIN CONCENTRATION, ALERTNESS AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF A LONG DAY. CHKING TCASII BEFORE BEGINNING A TURN IN THE TERMINAL AREA WHEN IN AND OUT OF AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY MIGHT ALSO HELP AVERT THIS KIND OF MISTAKE.

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.