<< >> NASA ASRS Report 372980, July 1997

ATC approach control questioned the flight crew of a B737-200 heading some mins after departure and then issued an immediate 140 degree turn in the opposite direction from their destination. ATC did not give an explanation as to the need for the change, or if the flight crew had erred in using the heading they were on.

Attributes
ACN	372980
Time
Date	199707
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hub airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 238 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	372980
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Assigned heading after takeoff from hub was 100 degrees. After/during turn, we switched to departure and flew heading 100 degrees. Approaching efd we were asked for our heading. We said 100 degrees assigned. An immediate turn to 240 degrees was issued (away from intersecting route toward stl, north). An additional heading to west was issued. The only explanation for the deviation from north was our assumption that we either were assigned the wrong initial heading by hub tower or I flew the wrong heading after departure. No loss of separation was noted nor was there a conflict. We never were told of any error or reason for the turns south.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC APCH CTL QUESTIONED THE FLC OF A B737-200 HDG SOME MINS AFTER DEP AND THEN ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE 140 DEG TURN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THEIR DEST. ATC DID NOT GIVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO THE NEED FOR THE CHANGE, OR IF THE FLC HAD ERRED IN USING THE HDG THEY WERE ON.

Narrative: ASSIGNED HDG AFTER TKOF FROM HUB WAS 100 DEGS. AFTER/DURING TURN, WE SWITCHED TO DEP AND FLEW HDG 100 DEGS. APCHING EFD WE WERE ASKED FOR OUR HDG. WE SAID 100 DEGS ASSIGNED. AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 240 DEGS WAS ISSUED (AWAY FROM INTERSECTING RTE TOWARD STL, N). AN ADDITIONAL HDG TO W WAS ISSUED. THE ONLY EXPLANATION FOR THE DEV FROM N WAS OUR ASSUMPTION THAT WE EITHER WERE ASSIGNED THE WRONG INITIAL HDG BY HUB TWR OR I FLEW THE WRONG HDG AFTER DEP. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS NOTED NOR WAS THERE A CONFLICT. WE NEVER WERE TOLD OF ANY ERROR OR REASON FOR THE TURNS S.

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.