Heading track deviation. Twice.

Attributes
ACN	234389
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ocn
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna tracon : shv
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	234389
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
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 : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Near ocn VOR, approach told us to turn to a heading of 270 degrees, however, the first officer understood, and read back, fly 270 after sli VOR. At that time, we were crossing ocn and were previously cleared ocn direct sli. I turned toward sli, after briefly turning to 270 degrees when the first officer said we were cleared to turn to 270 degrees after sli. At that point, I should have had him call approach for clarification, however, did not, but turned toward sli. After a few minus, approach said that we should be flying a heading of 270 degrees and to turn to 240 degrees immediately. I did acknowledge 240 degrees (the first officer was on another radio at that time), but in the confusion, turned to 270 degrees. After a few mins, approach corrected us again and I turned to 240 with no more difficulties. The first mistake was in not getting clarification when there was obvious misunderstanding when we were first told to turn to 270 degrees. Clearly I heard and understood one thing and the first officer heard and understood another. Secondly, I think a contributing factor was that we were not using headsets, but the cockpit speaker system. Normally, headsets are worn with passenger, but this was a maintenance flight with non passenger, so we opted to go without them. However, with headsets, radios are better heard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV. TWICE.

Narrative: NEAR OCN VOR, APCH TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS, HOWEVER, THE FO UNDERSTOOD, AND READ BACK, FLY 270 AFTER SLI VOR. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE XING OCN AND WERE PREVIOUSLY CLRED OCN DIRECT SLI. I TURNED TOWARD SLI, AFTER BRIEFLY TURNING TO 270 DEGS WHEN THE FO SAID WE WERE CLRED TO TURN TO 270 DEGS AFTER SLI. AT THAT POINT, I SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM CALL APCH FOR CLARIFICATION, HOWEVER, DID NOT, BUT TURNED TOWARD SLI. AFTER A FEW MINUS, APCH SAID THAT WE SHOULD BE FLYING A HDG OF 270 DEGS AND TO TURN TO 240 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. I DID ACKNOWLEDGE 240 DEGS (THE FO WAS ON ANOTHER RADIO AT THAT TIME), BUT IN THE CONFUSION, TURNED TO 270 DEGS. AFTER A FEW MINS, APCH CORRECTED US AGAIN AND I TURNED TO 240 WITH NO MORE DIFFICULTIES. THE FIRST MISTAKE WAS IN NOT GETTING CLARIFICATION WHEN THERE WAS OBVIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING WHEN WE WERE FIRST TOLD TO TURN TO 270 DEGS. CLRLY I HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD ONE THING AND THE FO HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD ANOTHER. SECONDLY, I THINK A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT WE WERE NOT USING HEADSETS, BUT THE COCKPIT SPEAKER SYS. NORMALLY, HEADSETS ARE WORN WITH PAX, BUT THIS WAS A MAINT FLT WITH NON PAX, SO WE OPTED TO GO WITHOUT THEM. HOWEVER, WITH HEADSETS, RADIOS ARE BETTER HEARD.

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.