Narrative:

I was flying the aircraft and using the radio (first officer was on #2 radio talking to company frequency on in-range call) when bwi approach control (frequency 133.0) told me of an small transport just below us, less than 1 mi, and to expedite our descent to 4000'. I acknowledged, 'xx air carrier, roger.' the controller's next transmission was 'xx air carrier, verify your heading.' I said '230.' he said, 'I assigned you 270--turn right to 290 for sequencing.' I obviously missed the initial heading. There was some bleed over from the first officer's xmissions on the #2 communication, which must have blocked out the first part of his transmission which included the heading assignment. I then asked the controller, 'where's our traffic?' he said he didn't have time to explain their airspace to me, 'fly heading 310.' I said, 'cancel IFR.' he asked me if I was landing bwi. I said yes, and he then said, 'fly heading 360.' keep in mind on course is 230 degrees, the WX could not be better. At this time I said 'cancel advisories' and changed to the final approach controller and contacted 119.0 15 DME from balance. Still on a 230 degree heading at 4000', acknowledged with radar contact and assigned me a 180 degree heading and we proceeded inbound and landed west/O further hassle. They never point traffic out, especially in these WX conditions. When calling TRACON on the phone after the flight, the controller (supervisor) explained their side of what happened, which included missing the initial assigned heading that I missed, and leaving the frequency which I did after I cancelled IFR and advisories. He insinuated that I was lying about not receiving the initial heading due to my admitting later my heading of 230 degrees and my reaction to his further hassling me with ridiculous 130 degree heading changes. He finally decided to drop the issue after threatening investigation. He kept saying it was an far to sequence me and separate me from traffic and acted like I was in some kind of violation for cancelling IFR and advisories when I was in agreement with far's and company operation specifications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER MDT NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC TRACK HEADING DEVIATION.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND USING THE RADIO (F/O WAS ON #2 RADIO TALKING TO COMPANY FREQ ON IN-RANGE CALL) WHEN BWI APCH CTL (FREQ 133.0) TOLD ME OF AN SMT JUST BELOW US, LESS THAN 1 MI, AND TO EXPEDITE OUR DSCNT TO 4000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED, 'XX ACR, ROGER.' THE CTLR'S NEXT XMISSION WAS 'XX ACR, VERIFY YOUR HDG.' I SAID '230.' HE SAID, 'I ASSIGNED YOU 270--TURN RIGHT TO 290 FOR SEQUENCING.' I OBVIOUSLY MISSED THE INITIAL HDG. THERE WAS SOME BLEED OVER FROM THE F/O'S XMISSIONS ON THE #2 COM, WHICH MUST HAVE BLOCKED OUT THE FIRST PART OF HIS XMISSION WHICH INCLUDED THE HDG ASSIGNMENT. I THEN ASKED THE CTLR, 'WHERE'S OUR TFC?' HE SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN THEIR AIRSPACE TO ME, 'FLY HDG 310.' I SAID, 'CANCEL IFR.' HE ASKED ME IF I WAS LNDG BWI. I SAID YES, AND HE THEN SAID, 'FLY HDG 360.' KEEP IN MIND ON COURSE IS 230 DEGS, THE WX COULD NOT BE BETTER. AT THIS TIME I SAID 'CANCEL ADVISORIES' AND CHANGED TO THE FINAL APCH CTLR AND CONTACTED 119.0 15 DME FROM BAL. STILL ON A 230 DEG HDG AT 4000', ACKNOWLEDGED WITH RADAR CONTACT AND ASSIGNED ME A 180 DEG HDG AND WE PROCEEDED INBND AND LANDED W/O FURTHER HASSLE. THEY NEVER POINT TFC OUT, ESPECIALLY IN THESE WX CONDITIONS. WHEN CALLING TRACON ON THE PHONE AFTER THE FLT, THE CTLR (SUPVR) EXPLAINED THEIR SIDE OF WHAT HAPPENED, WHICH INCLUDED MISSING THE INITIAL ASSIGNED HDG THAT I MISSED, AND LEAVING THE FREQ WHICH I DID AFTER I CANCELLED IFR AND ADVISORIES. HE INSINUATED THAT I WAS LYING ABOUT NOT RECEIVING THE INITIAL HDG DUE TO MY ADMITTING LATER MY HDG OF 230 DEGS AND MY REACTION TO HIS FURTHER HASSLING ME WITH RIDICULOUS 130 DEG HDG CHANGES. HE FINALLY DECIDED TO DROP THE ISSUE AFTER THREATENING INVESTIGATION. HE KEPT SAYING IT WAS AN FAR TO SEQUENCE ME AND SEPARATE ME FROM TFC AND ACTED LIKE I WAS IN SOME KIND OF VIOLATION FOR CANCELLING IFR AND ADVISORIES WHEN I WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH FAR'S AND COMPANY OPERATION SPECS.

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.