ATC heading to intercept a jet airway did not provide an adequate intercept angle.

Attributes
ACN	431904
Time
Date	199903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : enl.vortac
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	431904
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Navigational Facility Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

When north of enl proceeding direct, we were assigned '10 degrees left, intercept J45.' this gave us a 170 degree heading. Our flight planned route was direct enl, pless, J45, tings, hehaw 3, bna. I assumed this heading would allow us to intercept J45 northwest of tings. I was wrong. We were 20 mi east of tings when center asked us where we were going. Our last clearance was 'intercept J45,' and we were still north of J45 but east of tings. Center then gave us a 110 degree heading to intercept the arrival into bna. I know I should have caught the error and queried center, but I trusted them without question.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC HDG TO INTERCEPT A JET AIRWAY DID NOT PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE INTERCEPT ANGLE.

Narrative: WHEN N OF ENL PROCEEDING DIRECT, WE WERE ASSIGNED '10 DEGS L, INTERCEPT J45.' THIS GAVE US A 170 DEG HDG. OUR FLT PLANNED RTE WAS DIRECT ENL, PLESS, J45, TINGS, HEHAW 3, BNA. I ASSUMED THIS HDG WOULD ALLOW US TO INTERCEPT J45 NW OF TINGS. I WAS WRONG. WE WERE 20 MI E OF TINGS WHEN CTR ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING. OUR LAST CLRNC WAS 'INTERCEPT J45,' AND WE WERE STILL N OF J45 BUT E OF TINGS. CTR THEN GAVE US A 110 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE ARR INTO BNA. I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE ERROR AND QUERIED CTR, BUT I TRUSTED THEM WITHOUT QUESTION.

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.