A B737-300 overshot its assigned heading during a vectored departure procedure from sna.

Attributes
ACN	414660
Time
Date	199809
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure : noise abatement departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	414660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	414659
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Flight departed sna. Socal RAPCON instructed flight to head 200 degree vector. Copilot accurately read back 200 degrees and inserted 200 degrees in flight director MCP. Captain misheard 200 degrees as 270 degrees and began turn. Ensuing cockpit activity allowed 270 degree turn to be completed and socal RAPCON issued a traffic alert and called for immediate left turn. Traffic was visually acquired and departure continued. Upon arrival in las, captain called socal and was informed of no conflict of safety which required reporting. Conclusion: air carrier management should be taken to task for 90+ flight hour schedules, often 'back side of clock' and ensuing fatigue, illness and inattn by flight deck crew members. Safety should be other than 'lip service' by major airline management! Supplemental information from acn 414659: the noise abatement procedure out of sna is complex and demanding. The airspace surrounding the west coast is crowded with VFR aircraft, requiring a constant outside scan. Also, after being given the 200 degree heading, the flight director guidance bars disengaged causing a momentary distraction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 OVERSHOT ITS ASSIGNED HDG DURING A VECTORED DEP PROC FROM SNA.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED SNA. SOCAL RAPCON INSTRUCTED FLT TO HEAD 200 DEG VECTOR. COPLT ACCURATELY READ BACK 200 DEGS AND INSERTED 200 DEGS IN FLT DIRECTOR MCP. CAPT MISHEARD 200 DEGS AS 270 DEGS AND BEGAN TURN. ENSUING COCKPIT ACTIVITY ALLOWED 270 DEG TURN TO BE COMPLETED AND SOCAL RAPCON ISSUED A TFC ALERT AND CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE L TURN. TFC WAS VISUALLY ACQUIRED AND DEP CONTINUED. UPON ARR IN LAS, CAPT CALLED SOCAL AND WAS INFORMED OF NO CONFLICT OF SAFETY WHICH REQUIRED RPTING. CONCLUSION: ACR MGMNT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO TASK FOR 90+ FLT HR SCHEDULES, OFTEN 'BACK SIDE OF CLOCK' AND ENSUING FATIGUE, ILLNESS AND INATTN BY FLT DECK CREW MEMBERS. SAFETY SHOULD BE OTHER THAN 'LIP SVC' BY MAJOR AIRLINE MGMNT! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 414659: THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC OUT OF SNA IS COMPLEX AND DEMANDING. THE AIRSPACE SURROUNDING THE WEST COAST IS CROWDED WITH VFR ACFT, REQUIRING A CONSTANT OUTSIDE SCAN. ALSO, AFTER BEING GIVEN THE 200 DEG HDG, THE FLT DIRECTOR GUIDANCE BARS DISENGAGED CAUSING A MOMENTARY DISTR.

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.