<< >> NASA ASRS Report 137710, February 1990

Air carrier PIC reports TRACON approach controller confusion regarding his flight as to heading and identity for a short time while on radar vectors for approach.

Attributes
ACN	137710
Time
Date	199002
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other 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 : 230 flight time total : 16893 flight time type : 12203
ASRS Report	137710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other other

Narrative:

We were inbound to dtw from east. Approach control was vectoring us for a visual approach to runway 21L. We were told to turn right to 030 degree heading (downwind to follow traffic), then to turn back left to 230 degree. The controller then asked us what our heading was and seemed confused as to what we were doing. I called him on telephone after reaching the terminal. He said he 'dropped our strip' for a few sweeps and was not sure which aircraft we were. He was working many aircraft and seemed to be tired. He said there was no conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC REPORTS TRACON APCH CTLR CONFUSION REGARDING HIS FLT AS TO HEADING AND IDENTITY FOR A SHORT TIME WHILE ON RADAR VECTORS FOR APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE INBND TO DTW FROM EAST. APCH CTL WAS VECTORING US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 21L. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN RIGHT TO 030 DEG HDG (DOWNWIND TO FOLLOW TFC), THEN TO TURN BACK LEFT TO 230 DEG. THE CTLR THEN ASKED US WHAT OUR HDG WAS AND SEEMED CONFUSED AS TO WHAT WE WERE DOING. I CALLED HIM ON TELEPHONE AFTER REACHING THE TERMINAL. HE SAID HE 'DROPPED OUR STRIP' FOR A FEW SWEEPS AND WAS NOT SURE WHICH ACFT WE WERE. HE WAS WORKING MANY ACFT AND SEEMED TO BE TIRED. HE SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT.

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