Narrative:

Working all of the north airspace combined (arrs, departures, overflts, etc) aircraft 1 (PA-28) was practicing IFR approachs (ILS 5 pvd). Aircraft 1 called on his missed approach. Normal procedures call for a 30 degree right turn on planned missed approachs. Aircraft 1 was told 'radar contact, verify tower assigned heading?' he answered 020 degrees. The very next transmission was to aircraft 1, roger turn right heading 160 (this was for his next approach). Aircraft 2 appeared on the scope at the runway, I realized aircraft 1 was left of centerline and immediately called the tower to give aircraft 2 (dc-9) a right turn on course (320 degrees) and climb to 8000 ft (5000 ft being the normal procedure) to ensure separation. Aircraft 2 departed and turned inside the PA-28 but with less than 3 mi and 1000 ft with him in sight. I believe this was a classic readback, hearback situation. Even though he had stated that he was heading 020, I 'knew' it was 080 as the SOP states. I believe a contributing factor also was that my tab list had been moved to accommodate the coordinator position that was open to my left. I normally keep the tab list just northeast of our primary airport (pvd) so that when the tower flashes a departure (they blink in the tab) it's seen right away. In retrospect I've learned that if you ask for information, make sure you're listening for the answer. Not what you think the answer should be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT 1, HAVING MADE A PRACTICE MISSED APCH, IS BEING VECTORED BY RPTR FOR ANOTHER ILS. RPTR OBSERVING THAT ACFT 2 IS DEPARTING ON A CONVERGING COURSE TO ACFT 1, INSTRUCTS THE TWR LCL CTLR TO TURN ACFT 2 ON COURSE. DUE TO ACFT 1'S HDG, THERE IS LOSS OF SEPARATION WHEN ACFT 2 TURNS INSIDE ACFT 1.

Narrative: WORKING ALL OF THE N AIRSPACE COMBINED (ARRS, DEPS, OVERFLTS, ETC) ACFT 1 (PA-28) WAS PRACTICING IFR APCHS (ILS 5 PVD). ACFT 1 CALLED ON HIS MISSED APCH. NORMAL PROCS CALL FOR A 30 DEG R TURN ON PLANNED MISSED APCHS. ACFT 1 WAS TOLD 'RADAR CONTACT, VERIFY TWR ASSIGNED HDG?' HE ANSWERED 020 DEGS. THE VERY NEXT XMISSION WAS TO ACFT 1, ROGER TURN R HDG 160 (THIS WAS FOR HIS NEXT APCH). ACFT 2 APPEARED ON THE SCOPE AT THE RWY, I REALIZED ACFT 1 WAS L OF CTRLINE AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TWR TO GIVE ACFT 2 (DC-9) A R TURN ON COURSE (320 DEGS) AND CLB TO 8000 FT (5000 FT BEING THE NORMAL PROC) TO ENSURE SEPARATION. ACFT 2 DEPARTED AND TURNED INSIDE THE PA-28 BUT WITH LESS THAN 3 MI AND 1000 FT WITH HIM IN SIGHT. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A CLASSIC READBACK, HEARBACK SIT. EVEN THOUGH HE HAD STATED THAT HE WAS HDG 020, I 'KNEW' IT WAS 080 AS THE SOP STATES. I BELIEVE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR ALSO WAS THAT MY TAB LIST HAD BEEN MOVED TO ACCOMMODATE THE COORDINATOR POS THAT WAS OPEN TO MY L. I NORMALLY KEEP THE TAB LIST JUST NE OF OUR PRIMARY ARPT (PVD) SO THAT WHEN THE TWR FLASHES A DEP (THEY BLINK IN THE TAB) IT'S SEEN RIGHT AWAY. IN RETROSPECT I'VE LEARNED THAT IF YOU ASK FOR INFO, MAKE SURE YOU'RE LISTENING FOR THE ANSWER. NOT WHAT YOU THINK THE ANSWER SHOULD BE.

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.