Flight crew of air carrier medium large transport makes a three sixty degree turn during the abort o...

Attributes
ACN	138165
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dab
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dab tower : bna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : visual 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 : 120 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	138165
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach to runway 7L at approximately 4-6 mi out at 1600' on the inbound ILS course (used as backup). We were told that there was a small plane in the pattern who was not answering his radio instructions. We were told to discontinue the approach and make a left turn at 1600' -- we assumed a 360 degree turn was intended. The controller was working several small aircraft and seemed quite harried. We continued our turn and while going through a heading of approximately 240 degree we were told sternly that we had not been cleared to turn back toward the runway. We were then told to turn right to 360 degree. We were then vectored back to the final approach course to an uneventful landing. Neither my copilot nor I remember being given a heading with the initial turn off the approach. This inconcise instruction led to our assumption that we were being given a 360 degree to the approach course. The continuing of the turn evidently conflicted with other inbound traffic, although we were not in close proximity to other planes we could identify. More explicit instructions and a short explanation of what the controller was going to do with us would have helped the situation. Also an inquiry on our part to the controller about either his plans for us or a heading to roll out on would have helped the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ACR MLG MAKES A THREE SIXTY DEGREE TURN DURING THE ABORT OF A VISUAL APCH. CTLR HAD NOT ISSUED A HEADING TO FLY, ONLY THE INSTRUCTION TO TURN LEFT. FLT CREW ASSUMED THAT CTLR WANTED A THREE SIXTY DEGREE TURN.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 7L AT APPROX 4-6 MI OUT AT 1600' ON THE INBND ILS COURSE (USED AS BACKUP). WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SMALL PLANE IN THE PATTERN WHO WAS NOT ANSWERING HIS RADIO INSTRUCTIONS. WE WERE TOLD TO DISCONTINUE THE APCH AND MAKE A LEFT TURN AT 1600' -- WE ASSUMED A 360 DEG TURN WAS INTENDED. THE CTLR WAS WORKING SEVERAL SMALL ACFT AND SEEMED QUITE HARRIED. WE CONTINUED OUR TURN AND WHILE GOING THROUGH A HDG OF APPROX 240 DEG WE WERE TOLD STERNLY THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE RWY. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO TURN RIGHT TO 360 DEG. WE WERE THEN VECTORED BACK TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. NEITHER MY COPLT NOR I REMEMBER BEING GIVEN A HDG WITH THE INITIAL TURN OFF THE APCH. THIS INCONCISE INSTRUCTION LED TO OUR ASSUMPTION THAT WE WERE BEING GIVEN A 360 DEG TO THE APCH COURSE. THE CONTINUING OF THE TURN EVIDENTLY CONFLICTED WITH OTHER INBND TFC, ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT IN CLOSE PROX TO OTHER PLANES WE COULD IDENTIFY. MORE EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS AND A SHORT EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE CTLR WAS GOING TO DO WITH US WOULD HAVE HELPED THE SITUATION. ALSO AN INQUIRY ON OUR PART TO THE CTLR ABOUT EITHER HIS PLANS FOR US OR A HDG TO ROLL OUT ON WOULD HAVE HELPED THE SITUATION.

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.

Flight crew of air carrier medium large transport makes a three sixty degree turn during the abort of a visual approach. Controller had not issued a heading to fly, only the instruction to turn left. Flight crew assumed that controller wanted a three sixty degree turn.