A B737-400 flight crew did not maintain the present heading as assigned near hacks intersection.

Attributes
ACN	455231
Time
Date	199911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : hacks
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	455231
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	455230
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descending to FL240, center said 'present heading expect direct nikls.' first officer read back 'present heading.' I was PF, and did not hear either 'present heading.' I was using speaker, not headset. At this point for present heading clearance I would push 'heading' mode on flight director. I didn't and first officer didn't catch it. We then got busy trying to find nikls intersection since it was not on our route. Since I had only heard 'expect direct nikls' I did not think this was an out of the ordinary clearance since we would need time getting it set up. The autoplt was set to navigation J149. Over hacks intersection aircraft turned to ape VOR. Controller stopped us at FL280 for aircraft at FL270. No conflict. Good catch by controller. Corrective action: I think I will wear my headset from the start of descent instead of just from FL180 and below. This would have allowed me to hear sidetone from first officer's readback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 FLC DID NOT MAINTAIN THE PRESENT HDG AS ASSIGNED NEAR HACKS INTXN.

Narrative: DSNDING TO FL240, CTR SAID 'PRESENT HDG EXPECT DIRECT NIKLS.' FO READ BACK 'PRESENT HDG.' I WAS PF, AND DID NOT HEAR EITHER 'PRESENT HDG.' I WAS USING SPEAKER, NOT HEADSET. AT THIS POINT FOR PRESENT HDG CLRNC I WOULD PUSH 'HDG' MODE ON FLT DIRECTOR. I DIDN'T AND FO DIDN'T CATCH IT. WE THEN GOT BUSY TRYING TO FIND NIKLS INTXN SINCE IT WAS NOT ON OUR RTE. SINCE I HAD ONLY HEARD 'EXPECT DIRECT NIKLS' I DID NOT THINK THIS WAS AN OUT OF THE ORDINARY CLRNC SINCE WE WOULD NEED TIME GETTING IT SET UP. THE AUTOPLT WAS SET TO NAV J149. OVER HACKS INTXN ACFT TURNED TO APE VOR. CTLR STOPPED US AT FL280 FOR ACFT AT FL270. NO CONFLICT. GOOD CATCH BY CTLR. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I THINK I WILL WEAR MY HEADSET FROM THE START OF DSCNT INSTEAD OF JUST FROM FL180 AND BELOW. THIS WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ME TO HEAR SIDETONE FROM FO'S READBACK.

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.