Narrative:

I was flying the aircraft. We were flying an approximate 360 degree heading at 6000' on radar vectors for the ILS 22L at newark int'l. The approach controller said 'turn right to 160 degree'. The captain read back the vector, and I turned right to 160 degree. The controller then handed us off to the final approach controller. The final approach controller told us to turn to 060 degree and that was our assigned heading from the previous controller. The captain told the final approach controller that we had read back '160 degree' to the previous controller and he had verified 160 degree. No further action was taken, and the flight continued without incident. I think this problem would not have occurred if the controllers just slowed down a little bit, and paid more attention to pilot readbacks.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW READ BACK AND FLEW 160 DEGREE HEADING. ON HANDOFF TO NEXT SECTOR, CTLR SAYS HEADING SHOULD BE 060 DEGREES.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ACFT. WE WERE FLYING AN APPROXIMATE 360 DEG HDG AT 6000' ON RADAR VECTORS FOR THE ILS 22L AT NEWARK INT'L. THE APCH CTLR SAID 'TURN RIGHT TO 160 DEG'. THE CAPT READ BACK THE VECTOR, AND I TURNED RIGHT TO 160 DEG. THE CTLR THEN HANDED US OFF TO THE FINAL APCH CTLR. THE FINAL APCH CTLR TOLD US TO TURN TO 060 DEG AND THAT WAS OUR ASSIGNED HDG FROM THE PREVIOUS CTLR. THE CAPT TOLD THE FINAL APCH CTLR THAT WE HAD READ BACK '160 DEG' TO THE PREVIOUS CTLR AND HE HAD VERIFIED 160 DEG. NO FURTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN, AND THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I THINK THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF THE CTLRS JUST SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE BIT, AND PAID MORE ATTN TO PLT READBACKS.

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.