Deviation from clearance route -- air carrier turns to wrong heading during a vectored approach.

Attributes
ACN	316540
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	316540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	316543
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On downwind, approach control gave us a change of heading, altitude and airspeed, speaking very fast. PNF acknowledged with a complete readback. We understood heading 300 degrees descend from 7000 ft to 4000 ft and slow to 170 KIAS. As we entered the turn to 300 degrees from 360 degrees we both were concerned that 300 degrees was not the correct heading. We tried to confirm the heading with ATC but he was so busy we could not get in a question. Approach control told us to level off at our present altitude (6000 ft). We got a TCASII 'TA' and saw the traffic at the same time that approach control pointed it out. The correct heading had been 030 degrees. Separation of aircraft was not compromised. The problem was a combination of difficulties. Approach control gave us 3 changes at once, speaking very fast. Frequency saturation prevented our attempt to confirm. Arrival into ord is not a familiar procedure for us. Runway assignment was not available soon enough to brief prior to the high workload phase of the approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEV FROM CLRNC RTE -- ACR TURNS TO WRONG HDG DURING A VECTORED APCH.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND, APCH CTL GAVE US A CHANGE OF HDG, ALT AND AIRSPD, SPEAKING VERY FAST. PNF ACKNOWLEDGED WITH A COMPLETE READBACK. WE UNDERSTOOD HDG 300 DEGS DSND FROM 7000 FT TO 4000 FT AND SLOW TO 170 KIAS. AS WE ENTERED THE TURN TO 300 DEGS FROM 360 DEGS WE BOTH WERE CONCERNED THAT 300 DEGS WAS NOT THE CORRECT HDG. WE TRIED TO CONFIRM THE HDG WITH ATC BUT HE WAS SO BUSY WE COULD NOT GET IN A QUESTION. APCH CTL TOLD US TO LEVEL OFF AT OUR PRESENT ALT (6000 FT). WE GOT A TCASII 'TA' AND SAW THE TFC AT THE SAME TIME THAT APCH CTL POINTED IT OUT. THE CORRECT HDG HAD BEEN 030 DEGS. SEPARATION OF ACFT WAS NOT COMPROMISED. THE PROB WAS A COMBINATION OF DIFFICULTIES. APCH CTL GAVE US 3 CHANGES AT ONCE, SPEAKING VERY FAST. FREQ SATURATION PREVENTED OUR ATTEMPT TO CONFIRM. ARR INTO ORD IS NOT A FAMILIAR PROC FOR US. RWY ASSIGNMENT WAS NOT AVAILABLE SOON ENOUGH TO BRIEF PRIOR TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD PHASE OF THE APCH.

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.