Narrative:

I was the PNF, the first officer was flying, with an FAA inspector in the jump seat. Approaching dubuque, I told the first officer I was leaving the frequency to get ord ATIS, that he had the radio for ATC, and the airplane. I turned my volume control for ATC to off so I could concentrate on the ord ATIS. While I was off, the airplane banked right, then the first officer responded to center again, and banked 25 degrees left. At this time I came back up and said 'what's going on.' before the first officer could respond, ATC called with a frequency change. Checked in with the new frequency, and were immediately into the approach and arrival phase of the flight, and was too busy to follow up what had just happened. After landing, taxi in and shut down, I turned to the inspector and said, 'any comments.' he responded 'not for you.' he then told the first officer 'when ATC gives you instructions, you'd better listen up.' evidently what had happened was we were heading approximately east, 090 degrees, and center gave us a right turn, heading 040 degrees. The inspector agreed. The first officer, instead of querying ATC about the conflict assumed the heading was in error, and turned right to 140 degrees. While we were in the turn, center said 'confirm you're in the turn,' to which the first officer responded affirmatively. Center then said turn further right 030 degrees, at which time my first officer realized the problem and initiated the left turn, and I came back on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LGT FLYING IN ZAU AIRSPACE FAILS TO FOLLOW HEADING COMMANDS FROM ARTCC.

Narrative: I WAS THE PNF, THE FO WAS FLYING, WITH AN FAA INSPECTOR IN THE JUMP SEAT. APCHING DUBUQUE, I TOLD THE FO I WAS LEAVING THE FREQ TO GET ORD ATIS, THAT HE HAD THE RADIO FOR ATC, AND THE AIRPLANE. I TURNED MY VOLUME CTL FOR ATC TO OFF SO I COULD CONCENTRATE ON THE ORD ATIS. WHILE I WAS OFF, THE AIRPLANE BANKED R, THEN THE FO RESPONDED TO CTR AGAIN, AND BANKED 25 DEGS L. AT THIS TIME I CAME BACK UP AND SAID 'WHAT'S GOING ON.' BEFORE THE FO COULD RESPOND, ATC CALLED WITH A FREQ CHANGE. CHKED IN WITH THE NEW FREQ, AND WERE IMMEDIATELY INTO THE APCH AND ARR PHASE OF THE FLT, AND WAS TOO BUSY TO FOLLOW UP WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. AFTER LNDG, TAXI IN AND SHUT DOWN, I TURNED TO THE INSPECTOR AND SAID, 'ANY COMMENTS.' HE RESPONDED 'NOT FOR YOU.' HE THEN TOLD THE FO 'WHEN ATC GIVES YOU INSTRUCTIONS, YOU'D BETTER LISTEN UP.' EVIDENTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS WE WERE HEADING APPROX E, 090 DEGS, AND CTR GAVE US A R TURN, HDG 040 DEGS. THE INSPECTOR AGREED. THE FO, INSTEAD OF QUERYING ATC ABOUT THE CONFLICT ASSUMED THE HEADING WAS IN ERROR, AND TURNED R TO 140 DEGS. WHILE WE WERE IN THE TURN, CTR SAID 'CONFIRM YOU'RE IN THE TURN,' TO WHICH THE FO RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY. CTR THEN SAID TURN FURTHER R 030 DEGS, AT WHICH TIME MY FO REALIZED THE PROB AND INITIATED THE L TURN, AND I CAME BACK ON.

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.