EMS light transport turns to incorrect heading when given vectors. Controller catches error.

Attributes
ACN	127846
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	127846
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a lifeguard flight destination apa we were being vectored to apa because the den VOR was OTS. As we were getting within 50 mi of den the center controller instructed us to turn right to 005 degrees. We had been on a 340 degree heading. The copilot read back 005 degrees. Then the copilot and I both set our heading bugs at 050 degrees and turned to 050 degrees. We both had done this because an 050 degree heading would take us direct to centennial, but it would also take us across the departure corridor from denver stapleton. We were only on this heading for about 1 min when center called us and asked our heading. We then realized our mistake and started back to an 005 degree heading. Center then gave us a heading to provide proper spacing from the departure corridor. In this instance an alert center controller prevented us from crossing into the departure corridor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS LTT TURNS TO INCORRECT HEADING WHEN GIVEN VECTORS. CTLR CATCHES ERROR.

Narrative: ON A LIFEGUARD FLT DEST APA WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO APA BECAUSE THE DEN VOR WAS OTS. AS WE WERE GETTING WITHIN 50 MI OF DEN THE CENTER CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN RIGHT TO 005 DEGS. WE HAD BEEN ON A 340 DEG HDG. THE COPLT READ BACK 005 DEGS. THEN THE COPLT AND I BOTH SET OUR HDG BUGS AT 050 DEGS AND TURNED TO 050 DEGS. WE BOTH HAD DONE THIS BECAUSE AN 050 DEG HDG WOULD TAKE US DIRECT TO CENTENNIAL, BUT IT WOULD ALSO TAKE US ACROSS THE DEP CORRIDOR FROM DENVER STAPLETON. WE WERE ONLY ON THIS HDG FOR ABOUT 1 MIN WHEN CENTER CALLED US AND ASKED OUR HDG. WE THEN REALIZED OUR MISTAKE AND STARTED BACK TO AN 005 DEG HDG. CENTER THEN GAVE US A HDG TO PROVIDE PROPER SPACING FROM THE DEP CORRIDOR. IN THIS INSTANCE AN ALERT CENTER CTLR PREVENTED US FROM XING INTO THE DEP CORRIDOR.

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.