Narrative:

I was PF. My first officer was communicating with phl approach. We were being vectored for approach to phl. I estimate we were #4 in line with the arrival controller. Phl was landing east on runway 9R and we were nnw of the airport heading 080. The controller gave us a turn to 070. I heard him to say 170. My first officer read back 070, but I once again heard 170. My first officer was using a boom microphone that was touching his lips. I believe this was a factor in that it muffled his words a little bit. I turned to 170 degree while my first officer attended to other duties. He stated that he was reviewing the approach chart. I had been steady on the 170 heading for about 30 seconds when the controller advised that he had given us a 070 heading. He quickly determined that the best move was to keep us on that heading to enter us into a base leg set up for the 9R localizer. He made a hole by slowing and turning aircraft that were coming in from our left. The rest of the approach was uneventful. Upon arrival at the gate I phoned approach control to compliment the controller on his handling of the situation and explain what happened. He was a controller under training, which made it even more impressive. The supervisor stated that no conflict existed with other traffic at any time. This was a matter of luck, so it could easily have been hazardous. I had a discussion with my first officer regarding verification of controllers instructions and ensuring that the PF complies with the instructions. It is part of the PNF duties he was trained to perform. I believe I will repeat heading assignment in the future just as I repeat altitude assignments now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT GIVEN HDG OF 070 TURNED TO HDG OF 170. APCH CTLR OBSERVED AND CORRECTED.

Narrative: I WAS PF. MY FO WAS COMMUNICATING WITH PHL APCH. WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH TO PHL. I ESTIMATE WE WERE #4 IN LINE WITH THE ARR CTLR. PHL WAS LNDG E ON RWY 9R AND WE WERE NNW OF THE ARPT HDG 080. THE CTLR GAVE US A TURN TO 070. I HEARD HIM TO SAY 170. MY FO READ BACK 070, BUT I ONCE AGAIN HEARD 170. MY FO WAS USING A BOOM MICROPHONE THAT WAS TOUCHING HIS LIPS. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A FACTOR IN THAT IT MUFFLED HIS WORDS A LITTLE BIT. I TURNED TO 170 DEG WHILE MY FO ATTENDED TO OTHER DUTIES. HE STATED THAT HE WAS REVIEWING THE APCH CHART. I HAD BEEN STEADY ON THE 170 HDG FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS WHEN THE CTLR ADVISED THAT HE HAD GIVEN US A 070 HDG. HE QUICKLY DETERMINED THAT THE BEST MOVE WAS TO KEEP US ON THAT HDG TO ENTER US INTO A BASE LEG SET UP FOR THE 9R LOC. HE MADE A HOLE BY SLOWING AND TURNING ACFT THAT WERE COMING IN FROM OUR L. THE REST OF THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON ARR AT THE GATE I PHONED APCH CTL TO COMPLIMENT THE CTLR ON HIS HANDLING OF THE SITUATION AND EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. HE WAS A CTLR UNDER TRAINING, WHICH MADE IT EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE. THE SUPVR STATED THAT NO CONFLICT EXISTED WITH OTHER TFC AT ANY TIME. THIS WAS A MATTER OF LUCK, SO IT COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN HAZARDOUS. I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH MY FO REGARDING VERIFICATION OF CTLRS INSTRUCTIONS AND ENSURING THAT THE PF COMPLIES WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS. IT IS PART OF THE PNF DUTIES HE WAS TRAINED TO PERFORM. I BELIEVE I WILL REPEAT HDG ASSIGNMENT IN THE FUTURE JUST AS I REPEAT ALT ASSIGNMENTS NOW.

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.