A B737 captain reported that he and his first officer found it impossible to carry out all of ZBW's instructions, and that they were accused of turning the wrong direction.

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Attributes
ACN	516610
Time
Date	200106
Day	Thu
Place
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v449.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 13000
ASRS Report	516610
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a vector for traffic (ie, left or right 20 degrees). I still don't know if it was read back correctly or if we turned the right direction. After a few mins, the controller started giving us numerous vectors and a rapid descent. We did them all quickly and without comment. Afterwards, the controller was very agitated and said that it was all caused by us turning the wrong direction. After all of the vectors and descent, there was no way we could remember who said or did what. Apparently, there was other traffic involved because of the controller's reaction. Copilot was flying and I was probably not as 'in the loop' as I should have been at the time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CAPT RPTED THAT HE AND HIS FO FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY OUT ALL OF ZBW'S INSTRUCTIONS, AND THAT THEY WERE ACCUSED OF TURNING THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR FOR TFC (IE, L OR R 20 DEGS). I STILL DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS READ BACK CORRECTLY OR IF WE TURNED THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AFTER A FEW MINS, THE CTLR STARTED GIVING US NUMEROUS VECTORS AND A RAPID DSCNT. WE DID THEM ALL QUICKLY AND WITHOUT COMMENT. AFTERWARDS, THE CTLR WAS VERY AGITATED AND SAID THAT IT WAS ALL CAUSED BY US TURNING THE WRONG DIRECTION. AFTER ALL OF THE VECTORS AND DSCNT, THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD REMEMBER WHO SAID OR DID WHAT. APPARENTLY, THERE WAS OTHER TFC INVOLVED BECAUSE OF THE CTLR'S REACTION. COPLT WAS FLYING AND I WAS PROBABLY NOT AS 'IN THE LOOP' AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE TIME.

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.