Small transport charter flight on vector to mqy level 5000 ft on 200 degree heading. Advised control...

Attributes
ACN	354560
Time
Date	199611
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mqy
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	354560
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance 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:

Descending to land at mqy, told controller had airport in sight. He told me to 'turn left 200 degrees, maintain 5000 ft, traffic 12 O'clock position, 3 mi.' we complied, and soon thereafter called the traffic in sight. We were told to maintain visual separation descend to 3000 ft. We complied with those instructions and turned back on course to the right for direct to our airport. About two and one half mins later, the controller told us to turn back to the 200 degree heading, he had not cleared us on course, he needed us on that heading. We turned back, apologized, and 10 seconds later were turned on course for the visual approach to mqy. It was late, we were tired, and we were distracted by traffic and non essential conversation. We turned on course a clearance because we assumed the vector was for the traffic he called to us. We never heard the words 'cleared on course.' we just made a mistake. No close calls happened, but could have. Contributing factors: 1) fatigue (nighttime, finishing up 10 hours of flight in 14 hour duty day), 2) distracted (non essential conversation), and 3) lulled into false sense of security. It was clear, we were almost home at our home base.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CHARTER FLT ON VECTOR TO MQY LEVEL 5000 FT ON 200 DEG HDG. ADVISED CTLR HAD TFC IN SIGHT AND WAS CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 FT MAINTAIN VISUAL ON TFC. THOUGHT OK TO TURN DIRECT TO MQY. CTLR SAID MAINTAIN 200 DEG HDG AND 10 SECONDS LATER CLRED FOR VISUAL MQY. FATIGUE.

Narrative: DSNDING TO LAND AT MQY, TOLD CTLR HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. HE TOLD ME TO 'TURN L 200 DEGS, MAINTAIN 5000 FT, TFC 12 O'CLOCK POS, 3 MI.' WE COMPLIED, AND SOON THEREAFTER CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION DSND TO 3000 FT. WE COMPLIED WITH THOSE INSTRUCTIONS AND TURNED BACK ON COURSE TO THE R FOR DIRECT TO OUR ARPT. ABOUT TWO AND ONE HALF MINS LATER, THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN BACK TO THE 200 DEG HDG, HE HAD NOT CLRED US ON COURSE, HE NEEDED US ON THAT HEADING. WE TURNED BACK, APOLOGIZED, AND 10 SECONDS LATER WERE TURNED ON COURSE FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO MQY. IT WAS LATE, WE WERE TIRED, AND WE WERE DISTRACTED BY TFC AND NON ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION. WE TURNED ON COURSE A CLRNC BECAUSE WE ASSUMED THE VECTOR WAS FOR THE TFC HE CALLED TO US. WE NEVER HEARD THE WORDS 'CLRED ON COURSE.' WE JUST MADE A MISTAKE. NO CLOSE CALLS HAPPENED, BUT COULD HAVE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) FATIGUE (NIGHTTIME, FINISHING UP 10 HRS OF FLT IN 14 HR DUTY DAY), 2) DISTRACTED (NON ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION), AND 3) LULLED INTO FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. IT WAS CLR, WE WERE ALMOST HOME AT OUR HOME BASE.

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.