Flight crew of light transport misread the approach chart and failed to turn to published heading.

Attributes
ACN	376512
Time
Date	199708
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 630
ASRS Report	376512
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on approach to the dfw airport, in the clouds, rain and turbulence. I was busy setting the radios up and running the checklist in preparation for landing at the dfw airport. Normally, in the past, we were given heading assignments before reaching hikay intersection on the bowie 2 arrival to dfw. This particular day was stormy, it was taking the controllers quite a while to get back to us. We discussed the arrival into dfw, and we misread the heading for turboprops. Instead, we used the heading for turbojets. In my opinion the STAR chart is full of clutter. In a situation where the WX is bad, and you're pretty busy flying, talking with controllers, navigating, running checklist and bouncing around in bad WX -- these types of charts need to be simplified as much as possible so they can be read in a pinch.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LTT MISREAD THE APCH CHART AND FAILED TO TURN TO PUBLISHED HDG.

Narrative: WE WERE ON APCH TO THE DFW ARPT, IN THE CLOUDS, RAIN AND TURB. I WAS BUSY SETTING THE RADIOS UP AND RUNNING THE CHKLIST IN PREPARATION FOR LNDG AT THE DFW ARPT. NORMALLY, IN THE PAST, WE WERE GIVEN HDG ASSIGNMENTS BEFORE REACHING HIKAY INTXN ON THE BOWIE 2 ARR TO DFW. THIS PARTICULAR DAY WAS STORMY, IT WAS TAKING THE CTLRS QUITE A WHILE TO GET BACK TO US. WE DISCUSSED THE ARR INTO DFW, AND WE MISREAD THE HDG FOR TURBOPROPS. INSTEAD, WE USED THE HDG FOR TURBOJETS. IN MY OPINION THE STAR CHART IS FULL OF CLUTTER. IN A SIT WHERE THE WX IS BAD, AND YOU'RE PRETTY BUSY FLYING, TALKING WITH CTLRS, NAVING, RUNNING CHKLIST AND BOUNCING AROUND IN BAD WX -- THESE TYPES OF CHARTS NEED TO BE SIMPLIFIED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO THEY CAN BE READ IN A PINCH.

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.