Heading deviation by air carrier medium large transport on departure vectors.

Attributes
ACN	104964
Time
Date	198902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other 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 : 200 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	104964
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	104977
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Upon taking the runway we were subsequently 'cleared for takeoff. Upon departure turn heading 010 degrees.' I responded and read back the clearance and assigned heading 010 degrees. The captain who was executing the takeoff evidently heard the same 010 degree heading because he set his heading set marking to 010 degrees, as did I. After takeoff mdw tower sent us to chi departure. I reported in 'passing 1500 for 2000. Heading 010 degrees.' ATC responded, 'radar contact.' after a short (5 second) delay ATC asked our heading. I responded '010.' ATC issued instructions to turn heading 100 degrees immediately. The controller informed us that heading 100 degrees was the standard departure (we had been issued radar vectors in our initial ATC clearance). I understood heading at 010 degrees and read it back as such. If I was incorrect then it was not corrected by tower upon check in with departure. They either didn't understand my heading call or didn't listen. In either case they didn't question my initial call. The problem here is communication. If I misunderstand clearance a readback should resolve the problem. Either they can't hear or don't listen. I've heard terribly loud background noise from several ATC agencies lately and I suspect this, coupled with a task-saturated controller, make for mistakes. Several times I've had to ask ATC for repeats due to background noise, both from en route and tower controllers. Suggestion: kill the background chatter and listen up! Readbacks are useless if no one listens to them!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING DEVIATION BY ACR MLG ON DEP VECTORS.

Narrative: UPON TAKING THE RWY WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY 'CLRED FOR TKOF. UPON DEP TURN HDG 010 DEGS.' I RESPONDED AND READ BACK THE CLRNC AND ASSIGNED HDG 010 DEGS. THE CAPT WHO WAS EXECUTING THE TKOF EVIDENTLY HEARD THE SAME 010 DEG HDG BECAUSE HE SET HIS HDG SET MARKING TO 010 DEGS, AS DID I. AFTER TKOF MDW TWR SENT US TO CHI DEP. I RPTED IN 'PASSING 1500 FOR 2000. HDG 010 DEGS.' ATC RESPONDED, 'RADAR CONTACT.' AFTER A SHORT (5 SEC) DELAY ATC ASKED OUR HDG. I RESPONDED '010.' ATC ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN HDG 100 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. THE CTLR INFORMED US THAT HDG 100 DEGS WAS THE STANDARD DEP (WE HAD BEEN ISSUED RADAR VECTORS IN OUR INITIAL ATC CLRNC). I UNDERSTOOD HDG AT 010 DEGS AND READ IT BACK AS SUCH. IF I WAS INCORRECT THEN IT WAS NOT CORRECTED BY TWR UPON CHK IN WITH DEP. THEY EITHER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND MY HDG CALL OR DIDN'T LISTEN. IN EITHER CASE THEY DIDN'T QUESTION MY INITIAL CALL. THE PROB HERE IS COM. IF I MISUNDERSTAND CLRNC A READBACK SHOULD RESOLVE THE PROB. EITHER THEY CAN'T HEAR OR DON'T LISTEN. I'VE HEARD TERRIBLY LOUD BACKGROUND NOISE FROM SEVERAL ATC AGENCIES LATELY AND I SUSPECT THIS, COUPLED WITH A TASK-SATURATED CTLR, MAKE FOR MISTAKES. SEVERAL TIMES I'VE HAD TO ASK ATC FOR REPEATS DUE TO BACKGROUND NOISE, BOTH FROM ENRTE AND TWR CTLRS. SUGGESTION: KILL THE BACKGROUND CHATTER AND LISTEN UP! READBACKS ARE USELESS IF NO ONE LISTENS TO THEM!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.