Flight crew of an medium large transport received, read back, and flew an assigned heading after takeoff that departure controller subsequently questioned and advised that they were on the wrong heading and turned them to the correct heading.

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Attributes
ACN	422310
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	422310
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Receiving our takeoff clearance, tower added to fly a 335 degree heading. That's what we both thought we heard and the first officer read this heading and clearance back. No other reply from tower. After takeoff and about 500 ft AGL, we were switched to departure control. I checked in and added the comment that we were turning to a 335 degree heading. I felt that this was an unusual heading and wanted the controller to know we were in a turn. About 5-7 mi later, we were asked what our heading was. The controller said it should be a 225 degree heading, not 335 degrees. We were vectored back toward our first fix. After landing in ord about 1 hour later, I decided to call and talk to a tower supervisor. 'They did not ask me to call.' we discussed the event. No one had filed any complaints. I know next time I feel uneasy about such a large heading change or anything else questionable, I'm going to inquire more and advocate my position so as to ensure the message is better understood.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG RECEIVED, READ BACK, AND FLEW AN ASSIGNED HDG AFTER TKOF THAT DEP CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY QUESTIONED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE ON THE WRONG HDG AND TURNED THEM TO THE CORRECT HDG.

Narrative: RECEIVING OUR TKOF CLRNC, TWR ADDED TO FLY A 335 DEG HDG. THAT'S WHAT WE BOTH THOUGHT WE HEARD AND THE FO READ THIS HDG AND CLRNC BACK. NO OTHER REPLY FROM TWR. AFTER TKOF AND ABOUT 500 FT AGL, WE WERE SWITCHED TO DEP CTL. I CHKED IN AND ADDED THE COMMENT THAT WE WERE TURNING TO A 335 DEG HDG. I FELT THAT THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL HDG AND WANTED THE CTLR TO KNOW WE WERE IN A TURN. ABOUT 5-7 MI LATER, WE WERE ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS. THE CTLR SAID IT SHOULD BE A 225 DEG HDG, NOT 335 DEGS. WE WERE VECTORED BACK TOWARD OUR FIRST FIX. AFTER LNDG IN ORD ABOUT 1 HR LATER, I DECIDED TO CALL AND TALK TO A TWR SUPVR. 'THEY DID NOT ASK ME TO CALL.' WE DISCUSSED THE EVENT. NO ONE HAD FILED ANY COMPLAINTS. I KNOW NEXT TIME I FEEL UNEASY ABOUT SUCH A LARGE HDG CHANGE OR ANYTHING ELSE QUESTIONABLE, I'M GOING TO INQUIRE MORE AND ADVOCATE MY POS SO AS TO ENSURE THE MESSAGE IS BETTER UNDERSTOOD.

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.