Distraction leads crew to forget to turn to heading included in their descent clearance.

Attributes
ACN	476964
Time
Date	200006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob.artcc
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	476964
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	horizontal : 57000 vertical : 1800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Center told us to descend and maintain FL370 and turn left 30 degrees for opposite direction traffic. I engaged the flight level change mode for descent and changed heading select with a 30 degree course change to the left. The autothrottles were slow to retard, so I was manually pulling the power to idle when center came on the radio and said 'I need you down to FL370 in 1 min.' I picked up the microphone and said 'it will be close but we are at an idle descent.' oops, I was on the PA and a flight attendant came crashing through the door just as I repeated the statement to center, to say that 'some passenger were upset by the PA.' now ATC wanted to know if we were at FL370 yet. No, FL374. 'Are you at FL370?' 'yes, now we are!' ok, cleared direct xyz. Guess what? We never turned our heading select, never engaged, and with all the distrs were never noticed that the aircraft never turned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTR LEADS CREW TO FORGET TO TURN TO HDG INCLUDED IN THEIR DSCNT CLRNC.

Narrative: CTR TOLD US TO DSND AND MAINTAIN FL370 AND TURN L 30 DEGS FOR OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. I ENGAGED THE FLT LEVEL CHANGE MODE FOR DSCNT AND CHANGED HDG SELECT WITH A 30 DEG COURSE CHANGE TO THE L. THE AUTOTHROTTLES WERE SLOW TO RETARD, SO I WAS MANUALLY PULLING THE PWR TO IDLE WHEN CTR CAME ON THE RADIO AND SAID 'I NEED YOU DOWN TO FL370 IN 1 MIN.' I PICKED UP THE MIKE AND SAID 'IT WILL BE CLOSE BUT WE ARE AT AN IDLE DSCNT.' OOPS, I WAS ON THE PA AND A FLT ATTENDANT CAME CRASHING THROUGH THE DOOR JUST AS I REPEATED THE STATEMENT TO CTR, TO SAY THAT 'SOME PAX WERE UPSET BY THE PA.' NOW ATC WANTED TO KNOW IF WE WERE AT FL370 YET. NO, FL374. 'ARE YOU AT FL370?' 'YES, NOW WE ARE!' OK, CLRED DIRECT XYZ. GUESS WHAT? WE NEVER TURNED OUR HDG SELECT, NEVER ENGAGED, AND WITH ALL THE DISTRS WERE NEVER NOTICED THAT THE ACFT NEVER TURNED.

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.