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A departure large transport suffers a heading deviation when the first officer misunderstands the heading given. The controller, possibly a developmental controller, fails to catch the error. Another controller, possibly a supervisor departure controller, steps in and corrects the situation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 393700 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199802 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| 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 Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 393700 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Having departed to the north (heading 354 degrees) from dfw's runway 35L passing 5000 ft MSL we were given a right turn. (Normally the initial turn would be towards east, usually 080 degrees to 110 degrees.) being a sunday evening we were not surprised to hear 'turn right to 180 degrees.' we set the heading and initiated the turn. (The traffic was light a big turn would not be unusual.) I was the first officer and not flying so I responded, '...right turn 180 degrees.' departure did not correct the heading so we assumed the readback was correct. While passing 8000 ft MSL, in the turn, departure said 'turn right now 110 degrees.' at this point we were passing through 120 degrees so I responded 'verify left turn to 110 degrees.' he was (departure) confused at this point and said simply 'heading 110 degrees.' there was never a traffic conflict and we quickly established the 110 degree heading. The next voice we heard was a new one (perhaps a supervisor) and he gave us a right turn to south, 17000 ft climb, and a ZFW handoff. There was never a discussion with departure as to the confusion, nor am I aware of any conflict (TCASII showed no pending traffic problems). In retrospect I think he may have wanted us on a heading of 080 degrees vice 180 degrees. We believe we heard, and read back 180 degrees for that is the heading we set. Since 180 degrees would have been a bigger turn than usual on a north departure, perhaps I should have phrased my readback as a question instead of a statement. This would have forced him to acknowledge the heading.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DEP LGT SUFFERS A HEADING DEV WHEN THE FO MISUNDERSTANDS THE HEADING GIVEN. THE CTLR, POSSIBLY A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR, FAILS TO CATCH THE ERROR. ANOTHER CTLR, POSSIBLY A SUPVR DEP CTLR, STEPS IN AND CORRECTS THE SIT.
Narrative: HAVING DEPARTED TO THE N (HDG 354 DEGS) FROM DFW'S RWY 35L PASSING 5000 FT MSL WE WERE GIVEN A R TURN. (NORMALLY THE INITIAL TURN WOULD BE TOWARDS E, USUALLY 080 DEGS TO 110 DEGS.) BEING A SUNDAY EVENING WE WERE NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR 'TURN R TO 180 DEGS.' WE SET THE HEADING AND INITIATED THE TURN. (THE TFC WAS LIGHT A BIG TURN WOULD NOT BE UNUSUAL.) I WAS THE FO AND NOT FLYING SO I RESPONDED, '...R TURN 180 DEGS.' DEP DID NOT CORRECT THE HEADING SO WE ASSUMED THE READBACK WAS CORRECT. WHILE PASSING 8000 FT MSL, IN THE TURN, DEP SAID 'TURN R NOW 110 DEGS.' AT THIS POINT WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 120 DEGS SO I RESPONDED 'VERIFY L TURN TO 110 DEGS.' HE WAS (DEP) CONFUSED AT THIS POINT AND SAID SIMPLY 'HDG 110 DEGS.' THERE WAS NEVER A TFC CONFLICT AND WE QUICKLY ESTABLISHED THE 110 DEG HDG. THE NEXT VOICE WE HEARD WAS A NEW ONE (PERHAPS A SUPVR) AND HE GAVE US A R TURN TO S, 17000 FT CLB, AND A ZFW HDOF. THERE WAS NEVER A DISCUSSION WITH DEP AS TO THE CONFUSION, NOR AM I AWARE OF ANY CONFLICT (TCASII SHOWED NO PENDING TFC PROBS). IN RETROSPECT I THINK HE MAY HAVE WANTED US ON A HDG OF 080 DEGS VICE 180 DEGS. WE BELIEVE WE HEARD, AND READ BACK 180 DEGS FOR THAT IS THE HEADING WE SET. SINCE 180 DEGS WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIGGER TURN THAN USUAL ON A N DEP, PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE PHRASED MY READBACK AS A QUESTION INSTEAD OF A STATEMENT. THIS WOULD HAVE FORCED HIM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HEADING.
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.