Flight crew on approach to jfk was asked by controller if he could give him 150. Captain interpreted...

Attributes
ACN	123354
Time
Date	198909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15200 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	123354
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In very rough WX we were inbound on ILS to runway 22L approaching 10 mi. We were turned right O 290 to intercept and fly ILS 22R. Were given ILS frequency. Just established 22R and on gp at 2000' the controller said 'can you give me 150'. I assumed he meant heading 150, but made a split second decision that it was too late to switch back so I said 'negative, we'll have to stick with this northeast'. About that time we saw a widebody transport air carrier in the scud on our left obviously on final to 22L. Had we turned to 150 we would have hit or come close to him. If the controller had said 'can you slow to 150' or 'can you give me 150 KTS' there would have been no potential conflict. Everyone was very busy trying to get all the traffic into jfk. The wind was 50 KTS at 2000' and windshear on final surface winds about 20 KTS gusts to 30. A lot of vectors had been given at least 10 at and below 4000'. I'm sure there were a lot of wind changes. Our 25 flaps vref was 145 KTS and vprog 165. Our thinking was not set up to 150 KTS, but we were really tuned into heading changes. Just one left out word almost caused 2 widebody transport aircraft with about 800 passenger to collide.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW ON APCH TO JFK WAS ASKED BY CTLR IF HE COULD GIVE HIM 150. CAPT INTERPRETED THIS TO MEAN A HEADING OF 150 WHEN ACTUALLY CTLR WANTED AIRSPEED OF 150.

Narrative: IN VERY ROUGH WX WE WERE INBND ON ILS TO RWY 22L APCHING 10 MI. WE WERE TURNED RIGHT O 290 TO INTERCEPT AND FLY ILS 22R. WERE GIVEN ILS FREQ. JUST ESTABLISHED 22R AND ON GP AT 2000' THE CTLR SAID 'CAN YOU GIVE ME 150'. I ASSUMED HE MEANT HDG 150, BUT MADE A SPLIT SECOND DECISION THAT IT WAS TOO LATE TO SWITCH BACK SO I SAID 'NEGATIVE, WE'LL HAVE TO STICK WITH THIS NE'. ABOUT THAT TIME WE SAW A WDB ACR IN THE SCUD ON OUR LEFT OBVIOUSLY ON FINAL TO 22L. HAD WE TURNED TO 150 WE WOULD HAVE HIT OR COME CLOSE TO HIM. IF THE CTLR HAD SAID 'CAN YOU SLOW TO 150' OR 'CAN YOU GIVE ME 150 KTS' THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO POTENTIAL CONFLICT. EVERYONE WAS VERY BUSY TRYING TO GET ALL THE TFC INTO JFK. THE WIND WAS 50 KTS AT 2000' AND WINDSHEAR ON FINAL SURFACE WINDS ABOUT 20 KTS GUSTS TO 30. A LOT OF VECTORS HAD BEEN GIVEN AT LEAST 10 AT AND BELOW 4000'. I'M SURE THERE WERE A LOT OF WIND CHANGES. OUR 25 FLAPS VREF WAS 145 KTS AND VPROG 165. OUR THINKING WAS NOT SET UP TO 150 KTS, BUT WE WERE REALLY TUNED INTO HDG CHANGES. JUST ONE LEFT OUT WORD ALMOST CAUSED 2 WDB ACFT WITH ABOUT 800 PAX TO COLLIDE.

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.

Flight crew on approach to jfk was asked by controller if he could give him 150. Captain interpreted this to mean a heading of 150 when actually controller wanted airspeed of 150.