B737-300 turned to 230 degrees instead of 330 degrees as assigned.

Attributes
ACN	343690
Time
Date	199608
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
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 last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 32000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	343690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were being vectored for the lda 18 approach at dca. Received clearance to descend to 3000 ft and turn to a heading of 230 degrees. First officer acknowledged roger, heading 230 degrees. A moment later, the controller told us to level at 4000 ft and wanted to know why we were not on a heading of 330 degrees. Use of the prefaces 'turn left' or 'turn right' when giving and acknowledging headings would act as an additional chance to catch an error. Controller was very busy and it is possible 'turn left' or 'turn right' could have been covered. Workload in the cockpit at that time was heavy due to WX deviations and many changes in the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 TURNED TO 230 DEGS INSTEAD OF 330 DEGS AS ASSIGNED.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR THE LDA 18 APCH AT DCA. RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 3000 FT AND TURN TO A HDG OF 230 DEGS. FO ACKNOWLEDGED ROGER, HDG 230 DEGS. A MOMENT LATER, THE CTLR TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 4000 FT AND WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE WERE NOT ON A HDG OF 330 DEGS. USE OF THE PREFACES 'TURN L' OR 'TURN R' WHEN GIVING AND ACKNOWLEDGING HDGS WOULD ACT AS AN ADDITIONAL CHANCE TO CATCH AN ERROR. CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND IT IS POSSIBLE 'TURN L' OR 'TURN R' COULD HAVE BEEN COVERED. WORKLOAD IN THE COCKPIT AT THAT TIME WAS HVY DUE TO WX DEVS AND MANY CHANGES IN THE CLRNC.

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.