Aircraft equipment problem. Air carrier turns the wrong direction toward the new heading.

Attributes
ACN	302190
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	302190
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	302189
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our flight was being vectored off the boids 4 arrival to a final for runway 18R. We were given several vectors to fit into a northern flow for the downwind for runway 18R typical for the boids 4 and we discussed this point after the clearance. Our incident occurred after several vectors close together to fit into the runway 18R flow. We remember being on a 360 degree heading. We initiated that turn and the controller gave us 350 degree heading and a descent to 3000 ft. Captain X was identing the ILS frequency and changing the FMS to reflect the fix yohan for a long final. First officer Y selected 360 degrees and 350 degrees in the heading select mode and thought he was turning to this heading after pulling the knob. At this moment, captain X looked up and noticed the airplane in a right turn instead of a left turn to 350 degree heading. First officer, Y, started an immediate correction when the controller called to instruct us to keep turning to 090 degrees to avoid the east traffic flow. We continued the turn to 270 degrees and went back around to the runway 18R flow of traffic. We do not know why the airplane didn't turn left to 350 degrees in heading select. We did not notice that the airplane had started turning right instead of left until approximately 060 degrees. We confirmed with the controller that no traffic conflict was created and proceeded back around for the ILS for runway 18R with a normal landing in dfw.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. ACR TURNS THE WRONG DIRECTION TOWARD THE NEW HDG.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS BEING VECTORED OFF THE BOIDS 4 ARR TO A FINAL FOR RWY 18R. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL VECTORS TO FIT INTO A NORTHERN FLOW FOR THE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18R TYPICAL FOR THE BOIDS 4 AND WE DISCUSSED THIS POINT AFTER THE CLRNC. OUR INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER SEVERAL VECTORS CLOSE TOGETHER TO FIT INTO THE RWY 18R FLOW. WE REMEMBER BEING ON A 360 DEG HDG. WE INITIATED THAT TURN AND THE CTLR GAVE US 350 DEG HDG AND A DSCNT TO 3000 FT. CAPT X WAS IDENTING THE ILS FREQ AND CHANGING THE FMS TO REFLECT THE FIX YOHAN FOR A LONG FINAL. FO Y SELECTED 360 DEGS AND 350 DEGS IN THE HDG SELECT MODE AND THOUGHT HE WAS TURNING TO THIS HDG AFTER PULLING THE KNOB. AT THIS MOMENT, CAPT X LOOKED UP AND NOTICED THE AIRPLANE IN A R TURN INSTEAD OF A L TURN TO 350 DEG HDG. FO, Y, STARTED AN IMMEDIATE CORRECTION WHEN THE CTLR CALLED TO INSTRUCT US TO KEEP TURNING TO 090 DEGS TO AVOID THE E TFC FLOW. WE CONTINUED THE TURN TO 270 DEGS AND WENT BACK AROUND TO THE RWY 18R FLOW OF TFC. WE DO NOT KNOW WHY THE AIRPLANE DIDN'T TURN L TO 350 DEGS IN HDG SELECT. WE DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD STARTED TURNING R INSTEAD OF L UNTIL APPROX 060 DEGS. WE CONFIRMED WITH THE CTLR THAT NO TFC CONFLICT WAS CREATED AND PROCEEDED BACK AROUND FOR THE ILS FOR RWY 18R WITH A NORMAL LNDG IN DFW.

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.