A B727 departure dca was given a heading of 215 degrees to fly by iad departure controller. Controll...

Attributes
ACN	419660
Time
Date	199811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 700 flight time total : 34000 flight time type : 12500
ASRS Report	419660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	419474
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Departing northwest from dca 328 degree radial, noise abatement departure. National departure handed us off to dulles radar for vectors, J211. Controller gave us a heading of 215 degrees. The copilot and I both dialed 215 degrees in our heading bug. We both did this independently. The controller asked us after rolling out on the heading what our heading was. We responded 215 degrees assigned. The controller responded, you should pay attention to the controller. The copilot read back the heading issued of 215 degrees. The controller was very busy and was sending aircraft behind us on that heading. It appeared that he had us mixed up with other departures. No traffic conflict resulted as a result of this miscom. The controller apparently thought he gave us a heading of 315 degrees. Supplemental information from acn 419474: as we rolled out on 215 degree heading, departure queried us on our heading. When I said '215 degrees' he said 'XXXX pay attention, turn immediately to heading 315 degrees.' it was obvious to us that we had been issued the wrong heading. The controller obviously felt that we were at fault. The controller may have mistakenly given us a heading of 215 degrees as he had issued the same heading to several aircraft ahead of us. We, as a crew, might have noticed that this heading was in the wrong direction for our route of flight. We did not question the controller though.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 DEP DCA WAS GIVEN A HDG OF 215 DEGS TO FLY BY IAD DEP CTLR. CTLR CALLS FLT AND WANTS TO KNOW WHY THEY ARE ON THAT HDG. CTLR WANTED THEM ON A 315 DEG HDG.

Narrative: DEPARTING NW FROM DCA 328 DEG RADIAL, NOISE ABATEMENT DEP. NATIONAL DEP HANDED US OFF TO DULLES RADAR FOR VECTORS, J211. CTLR GAVE US A HDG OF 215 DEGS. THE COPLT AND I BOTH DIALED 215 DEGS IN OUR HDG BUG. WE BOTH DID THIS INDEPENDENTLY. THE CTLR ASKED US AFTER ROLLING OUT ON THE HDG WHAT OUR HDG WAS. WE RESPONDED 215 DEGS ASSIGNED. THE CTLR RESPONDED, YOU SHOULD PAY ATTN TO THE CTLR. THE COPLT READ BACK THE HDG ISSUED OF 215 DEGS. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND WAS SENDING ACFT BEHIND US ON THAT HDG. IT APPEARED THAT HE HAD US MIXED UP WITH OTHER DEPS. NO TFC CONFLICT RESULTED AS A RESULT OF THIS MISCOM. THE CTLR APPARENTLY THOUGHT HE GAVE US A HDG OF 315 DEGS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 419474: AS WE ROLLED OUT ON 215 DEG HDG, DEP QUERIED US ON OUR HDG. WHEN I SAID '215 DEGS' HE SAID 'XXXX PAY ATTN, TURN IMMEDIATELY TO HDG 315 DEGS.' IT WAS OBVIOUS TO US THAT WE HAD BEEN ISSUED THE WRONG HDG. THE CTLR OBVIOUSLY FELT THAT WE WERE AT FAULT. THE CTLR MAY HAVE MISTAKENLY GIVEN US A HDG OF 215 DEGS AS HE HAD ISSUED THE SAME HDG TO SEVERAL ACFT AHEAD OF US. WE, AS A CREW, MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS HDG WAS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION FOR OUR RTE OF FLT. WE DID NOT QUESTION THE CTLR THOUGH.

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.

A B727 departure dca was given a heading of 215 degrees to fly by iad departure controller. Controller calls flight and wants to know why they are on that heading. Controller wanted them on a 315 degree heading.