Narrative:

We were level at 6000 ft on downwind for runway 22R at ewr. We received a clearance to turn to a heading of 100 degrees and a descent to 5000 ft. We started our turn and descent and read back we were turning to 100 degrees and descending to 5000 ft. The captain questioned whether the heading was 110 degrees or 100 degrees since we had different headings set on our compasses. I called approach and asked them to confirm our heading of 100 degrees. Approach called back and said that our heading should have been a heading of 010 degrees and 5000 ft. We reversed our turn after turning past 060 degrees. After reversing our turn a second controller with a different voice reconfirmed that our heading should be 010 degrees and 5000 ft. We read back that we were level at 5000 ft and rolling out on 010 degrees. Approach then issued turns to other aircraft behind us to change their heading, possibly indicating a problem with separation. We were then issued a further left turn to 350 degrees and read back. Flight continued normally to landing. Suggestions: do not use headings such as 010 degrees and 100 degrees by controllers since they are easily confused, by crews and controllers in high workload environments. Do not use controllers in training, which might have been the case here, in high workloads until proficient. Increased education of the importance of readbacks and increase attention to what is said and what is heard!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC TAKES UP WRONG HDG WHEN RECEIVING VECTOR FROM APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000 FT ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22R AT EWR. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO TURN TO A HDG OF 100 DEGS AND A DSCNT TO 5000 FT. WE STARTED OUR TURN AND DSCNT AND READ BACK WE WERE TURNING TO 100 DEGS AND DSNDING TO 5000 FT. THE CAPT QUESTIONED WHETHER THE HDG WAS 110 DEGS OR 100 DEGS SINCE WE HAD DIFFERENT HDGS SET ON OUR COMPASSES. I CALLED APCH AND ASKED THEM TO CONFIRM OUR HDG OF 100 DEGS. APCH CALLED BACK AND SAID THAT OUR HDG SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HDG OF 010 DEGS AND 5000 FT. WE REVERSED OUR TURN AFTER TURNING PAST 060 DEGS. AFTER REVERSING OUR TURN A SECOND CTLR WITH A DIFFERENT VOICE RECONFIRMED THAT OUR HDG SHOULD BE 010 DEGS AND 5000 FT. WE READ BACK THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT 5000 FT AND ROLLING OUT ON 010 DEGS. APCH THEN ISSUED TURNS TO OTHER ACFT BEHIND US TO CHANGE THEIR HDG, POSSIBLY INDICATING A PROB WITH SEPARATION. WE WERE THEN ISSUED A FURTHER L TURN TO 350 DEGS AND READ BACK. FLT CONTINUED NORMALLY TO LNDG. SUGGESTIONS: DO NOT USE HDGS SUCH AS 010 DEGS AND 100 DEGS BY CTLRS SINCE THEY ARE EASILY CONFUSED, BY CREWS AND CTLRS IN HIGH WORKLOAD ENVIRONMENTS. DO NOT USE CTLRS IN TRAINING, WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CASE HERE, IN HIGH WORKLOADS UNTIL PROFICIENT. INCREASED EDUCATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF READBACKS AND INCREASE ATTN TO WHAT IS SAID AND WHAT IS 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.