<< >> NASA ASRS Report 499520, January 2001

B727 flight crew turn to heading that is same as assigned airspeed. P50 controller advises they took wrong heading.

Attributes
ACN	499520
Time
Date	200101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p50.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	499520
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While on radar vectors for a visual approach, we were flying an assigned heading and speed of 210 degrees and 210 KTS. Controller stated we had taken a wrong turn and advised us to turn left to 170 degrees immediately. We all agreed we had heard 210 degrees and I am positive the PNF read back heading and speed 210 degrees, 210 KTS. The controller said nothing further. There was obviously a communication breakdown of some type. Unfortunately, I don't know where the error of multiple errors occurred, but I assume safety was not compromised. Vigilance may be the only answer. We are human after all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC TURN TO HDG THAT IS SAME AS ASSIGNED AIRSPD. P50 CTLR ADVISES THEY TOOK WRONG HDG.

Narrative: WHILE ON RADAR VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APCH, WE WERE FLYING AN ASSIGNED HDG AND SPD OF 210 DEGS AND 210 KTS. CTLR STATED WE HAD TAKEN A WRONG TURN AND ADVISED US TO TURN L TO 170 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. WE ALL AGREED WE HAD HEARD 210 DEGS AND I AM POSITIVE THE PNF READ BACK HDG AND SPD 210 DEGS, 210 KTS. THE CTLR SAID NOTHING FURTHER. THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A COM BREAKDOWN OF SOME TYPE. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE ERROR OF MULTIPLE ERRORS OCCURRED, BUT I ASSUME SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED. VIGILANCE MAY BE THE ONLY ANSWER. WE ARE HUMAN AFTER ALL.

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.