<< >> NASA ASRS Report 507200, April 2001

During descent into ord, just after it was reopened, a confusing set of contradictory heading clrncs were issued to an air carrier MD11.

Attributes
ACN	507200
Time
Date	200104
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : jvl.vortac
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sju.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Flight Phase	descent : holding descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	507200
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

After leaving holding at jvl we were given a vector to the south. We were then given a left turn to 090 degrees. During the turn we were given 'turn right to 120 degrees.' since we had just begun the left turn to 090 degrees, and had not yet reached 120 degree heading, I interpreted this as a right turn from the previously assigned 090 degrees. I simply stopped the turn at 120 degrees. There was a great deal of radio traffic at that time as ord had been closed for some time and had just begun accepting arrs. Before we finished rolling out on 120 degrees, approach asked if we were in a left or right turn and, before we answered, told us to just continue to the left and roll out on 120 degrees. There appeared to be confusion as to which way they wanted us to turn. The rapid fire changes in headings, before we had even completed the previous turn, coupled with the fact the crew was at the end of a long duty day and was certainly fatigued, played a factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING DSCNT INTO ORD, JUST AFTER IT WAS REOPENED, A CONFUSING SET OF CONTRADICTORY HDG CLRNCS WERE ISSUED TO AN ACR MD11.

Narrative: AFTER LEAVING HOLDING AT JVL WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR TO THE S. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A L TURN TO 090 DEGS. DURING THE TURN WE WERE GIVEN 'TURN R TO 120 DEGS.' SINCE WE HAD JUST BEGUN THE L TURN TO 090 DEGS, AND HAD NOT YET REACHED 120 DEG HDG, I INTERPED THIS AS A R TURN FROM THE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED 090 DEGS. I SIMPLY STOPPED THE TURN AT 120 DEGS. THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF RADIO TFC AT THAT TIME AS ORD HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR SOME TIME AND HAD JUST BEGUN ACCEPTING ARRS. BEFORE WE FINISHED ROLLING OUT ON 120 DEGS, APCH ASKED IF WE WERE IN A L OR R TURN AND, BEFORE WE ANSWERED, TOLD US TO JUST CONTINUE TO THE L AND ROLL OUT ON 120 DEGS. THERE APPEARED TO BE CONFUSION AS TO WHICH WAY THEY WANTED US TO TURN. THE RAPID FIRE CHANGES IN HDGS, BEFORE WE HAD EVEN COMPLETED THE PREVIOUS TURN, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THE CREW WAS AT THE END OF A LONG DUTY DAY AND WAS CERTAINLY FATIGUED, PLAYED A FACTOR.

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.