Heading track deviation in flight crew non adherence to ATC clearance instruction.

Attributes
ACN	243942
Time
Date	199306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	243942
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	244345
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Had been previously cleared direct coaldale, nv, then flight planned route at FL350. Direct course was about 270 degrees magnetic. ZOB controller gave us a right turn to 360 degrees because he could not reach ZAU by phone to effect a handoff. We started the turn, then declared an emergency and returned to our course to coaldale, as we had marginal fuel reserves and several areas of thunderstorms in the midwest and over colorado/wyoming that might require deviations. Frequency switch to ZAU was made at XA34Z (3 mins later) and flight continued uneventfully to sfo. Minimal deviation around thunderstorms in colorado/wyoming area was required and we landed with more fuel than flight planned. ZAU controller (and later, watch supervisor) asked what had happened. When story was related, ZAU controller stated that ZOB controller had 'panicked' and given us the 90 degree turn. WX at altitude was clear, visibility unlimited. Operating TCASII installed on aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 244345: the captain declared an emergency and we turned back on course (direct coaldale). After completing our turn back on course, ZOB handed us off to ZAU and the emergency was terminated. The problem came about because the handoff between controllers was not done properly. WX was also a factor. Supplemental information from acn 244221: it should not be necessary to declare an emergency to keep a purely administrative problem from developing into an actual fuel shortage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV IN FLC NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLRED DIRECT COALDALE, NV, THEN FLT PLANNED RTE AT FL350. DIRECT COURSE WAS ABOUT 270 DEGS MAGNETIC. ZOB CTLR GAVE US A R TURN TO 360 DEGS BECAUSE HE COULD NOT REACH ZAU BY PHONE TO EFFECT A HDOF. WE STARTED THE TURN, THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO OUR COURSE TO COALDALE, AS WE HAD MARGINAL FUEL RESERVES AND SEVERAL AREAS OF TSTMS IN THE MIDWEST AND OVER COLORADO/WYOMING THAT MIGHT REQUIRE DEVS. FREQ SWITCH TO ZAU WAS MADE AT XA34Z (3 MINS LATER) AND FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO SFO. MINIMAL DEV AROUND TSTMS IN COLORADO/WYOMING AREA WAS REQUIRED AND WE LANDED WITH MORE FUEL THAN FLT PLANNED. ZAU CTLR (AND LATER, WATCH SUPVR) ASKED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WHEN STORY WAS RELATED, ZAU CTLR STATED THAT ZOB CTLR HAD 'PANICKED' AND GIVEN US THE 90 DEG TURN. WX AT ALT WAS CLR, VISIBILITY UNLIMITED. OPERATING TCASII INSTALLED ON ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 244345: THE CAPT DECLARED AN EMER AND WE TURNED BACK ON COURSE (DIRECT COALDALE). AFTER COMPLETING OUR TURN BACK ON COURSE, ZOB HANDED US OFF TO ZAU AND THE EMER WAS TERMINATED. THE PROB CAME ABOUT BECAUSE THE HDOF BTWN CTLRS WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY. WX WAS ALSO A FACTOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 244221: IT SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TO DECLARE AN EMER TO KEEP A PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE PROB FROM DEVELOPING INTO AN ACTUAL FUEL SHORTAGE.

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.