Narrative:

While getting vectored for an ILS runway 5R at yip, approach took us across the localizer (we were flying northwest). There was some discussion among the crew about the way ATC was going to turn us on the approach. They did not tell us about crossing the localizer but we noticed and continued on northwest. They then told us to turn (we thought right) to a 080 degree heading toward the final. My copilot thought ATC said right turn but in the turn ATC said they gave us a left turn. They said to continue the turn and vectored us from the northwest side. We had thought they wanted a right turn since it was a shorter turn to 080 degrees. Most controllers tell a pilot that they are vectoring them across the localizer and I think it is a good idea. It lets the pilot plan what the controller intends to do. Also, I think that besides telling a pilot which direction to turn to a heading, a controller should emphasize the direction of turn when it is a shorter turn the other way. Some controllers do this and it helps the pilot (or at least reinforces) to turn in the direction the controller wishes. An example might be 'turn left 080 degrees, a left turn to 080 degrees.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR MU300 DIAMOND JET TURNS THE WRONG DIRECTION DURING RADAR VECTORING FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 5R AT DTW, MI.

Narrative: WHILE GETTING VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 5R AT YIP, APCH TOOK US ACROSS THE LOC (WE WERE FLYING NW). THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AMONG THE CREW ABOUT THE WAY ATC WAS GOING TO TURN US ON THE APCH. THEY DID NOT TELL US ABOUT XING THE LOC BUT WE NOTICED AND CONTINUED ON NW. THEY THEN TOLD US TO TURN (WE THOUGHT R) TO A 080 DEG HDG TOWARD THE FINAL. MY COPLT THOUGHT ATC SAID R TURN BUT IN THE TURN ATC SAID THEY GAVE US A L TURN. THEY SAID TO CONTINUE THE TURN AND VECTORED US FROM THE NW SIDE. WE HAD THOUGHT THEY WANTED A R TURN SINCE IT WAS A SHORTER TURN TO 080 DEGS. MOST CTLRS TELL A PLT THAT THEY ARE VECTORING THEM ACROSS THE LOC AND I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA. IT LETS THE PLT PLAN WHAT THE CTLR INTENDS TO DO. ALSO, I THINK THAT BESIDES TELLING A PLT WHICH DIRECTION TO TURN TO A HDG, A CTLR SHOULD EMPHASIZE THE DIRECTION OF TURN WHEN IT IS A SHORTER TURN THE OTHER WAY. SOME CTLRS DO THIS AND IT HELPS THE PLT (OR AT LEAST REINFORCES) TO TURN IN THE DIRECTION THE CTLR WISHES. AN EXAMPLE MIGHT BE 'TURN L 080 DEGS, A L TURN TO 080 DEGS.'

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.