Narrative:

I am a captain on an A300 freighter aircraft, and this problem occurred on a leg flying from dayton, oh, to philadelphia, PA. I was the PNF and was handling the radios. As we approached into phl, we got to buntz intersection on the buntz 1 arrival into phl. The approach plate says to 'expect vectors to airport from buntz.' as we crossed buntz, the airplane started to turn to phl airport (it was coupled to the FMS). I took command of the autoplt and entered in a heading straight ahead so the plane would not keep turning. We were xferred to an approach controller who was extremely busy. When we checked in, he commented that we were late checking in (we called immediately when told) and he told us to descend to 6000 ft, speed 190 KTS, and turn left to a 060 degree heading. The copilot thought he heard 160 degree heading, so when I called to confirm, I received no answer. Finally, approach control answered and repeated in a louder tone to turn to 060 degrees. I replied we were turning immediately. He then told us to turn further left to 050 degrees and 'identify.' we followed instructions and he replied 'identify observed.' his voice sounded extremely agitated and my crew talked on the ground and we were wondering why had had us identify. We weren't sure if he was wanting to take enforcement action against us for not turning faster. I then telephoned approach control and they told me not to worry. I am writing because I feel the handoff from center to approach control should happen a few mi prior to buntz or at least have flight crew's issued a heading to fly once passing buntz before they ever get there. That was the procedure at other flts into phl. I think our day they were just overloaded with planes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF AN AIRBUS A300 TURNS TO THE WRONG HDG DURING STAR ARR VECTOR DUE TO MISINTERP OF THE CLRNC HDG.

Narrative: I AM A CAPT ON AN A300 FREIGHTER ACFT, AND THIS PROB OCCURRED ON A LEG FLYING FROM DAYTON, OH, TO PHILADELPHIA, PA. I WAS THE PNF AND WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS. AS WE APCHED INTO PHL, WE GOT TO BUNTZ INTXN ON THE BUNTZ 1 ARR INTO PHL. THE APCH PLATE SAYS TO 'EXPECT VECTORS TO ARPT FROM BUNTZ.' AS WE CROSSED BUNTZ, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO TURN TO PHL ARPT (IT WAS COUPLED TO THE FMS). I TOOK COMMAND OF THE AUTOPLT AND ENTERED IN A HDG STRAIGHT AHEAD SO THE PLANE WOULD NOT KEEP TURNING. WE WERE XFERRED TO AN APCH CTLR WHO WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. WHEN WE CHKED IN, HE COMMENTED THAT WE WERE LATE CHKING IN (WE CALLED IMMEDIATELY WHEN TOLD) AND HE TOLD US TO DSND TO 6000 FT, SPD 190 KTS, AND TURN L TO A 060 DEG HDG. THE COPLT THOUGHT HE HEARD 160 DEG HDG, SO WHEN I CALLED TO CONFIRM, I RECEIVED NO ANSWER. FINALLY, APCH CTL ANSWERED AND REPEATED IN A LOUDER TONE TO TURN TO 060 DEGS. I REPLIED WE WERE TURNING IMMEDIATELY. HE THEN TOLD US TO TURN FURTHER L TO 050 DEGS AND 'IDENT.' WE FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS AND HE REPLIED 'IDENT OBSERVED.' HIS VOICE SOUNDED EXTREMELY AGITATED AND MY CREW TALKED ON THE GND AND WE WERE WONDERING WHY HAD HAD US IDENT. WE WEREN'T SURE IF HE WAS WANTING TO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST US FOR NOT TURNING FASTER. I THEN TELEPHONED APCH CTL AND THEY TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I FEEL THE HDOF FROM CTR TO APCH CTL SHOULD HAPPEN A FEW MI PRIOR TO BUNTZ OR AT LEAST HAVE FLC'S ISSUED A HDG TO FLY ONCE PASSING BUNTZ BEFORE THEY EVER GET THERE. THAT WAS THE PROC AT OTHER FLTS INTO PHL. I THINK OUR DAY THEY WERE JUST OVERLOADED WITH PLANES.

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.