B737 flight crew turns towards final approach heading when given a vector for base for a short appro...

Attributes
ACN	525305
Time
Date	200109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	525305
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This event is a good example of the effects of mental distractions within the cockpit. (Tensions were high and we (I) were worried about losing my job to furloughs.) we were on vectors downwind for a visual approach to runway 35R at den. I was the PF and the captain had the radios. We were expecting a turn to base in about 3 mi. At this time ATC asked if we could accept a 'short approach.' I told the captain. We could (I was flying) and he relayed it to ATC. ATC immediately turned us to base and the captain, while on the radio, reached over and put the gear down (uncommanded and against SOP). A little shocked over this rapid breakdown in crew resource management, I continued to configure and fly the visual approach to runway 35R. On an intercept heading to final, ATC told us we had overshot the assigned heading but to continue as he now said 'cleared visual.' the captain and I had both assumed we were cleared already. The approach was continued uneventfully. This was an assumption of clearance! We were expecting it from ATC after he had asked us to accept the 'short approach.' the main distraction for me and probably why I didn't catch the clearance was the captain deviating from SOP. By him putting the gear down (uncommanded) while repeating our clearance, distracted him. The uncommanded change in aircraft configuration, distracted me. It put both of us in the 'cleared for visual approach' mode mentally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW TURNS TOWARDS FINAL APCH HDG WHEN GIVEN A VECTOR FOR BASE FOR A SHORT APCH TO DEN, CO.

Narrative: THIS EVENT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE EFFECTS OF MENTAL DISTRACTIONS WITHIN THE COCKPIT. (TENSIONS WERE HIGH AND WE (I) WERE WORRIED ABOUT LOSING MY JOB TO FURLOUGHS.) WE WERE ON VECTORS DOWNWIND FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 35R AT DEN. I WAS THE PF AND THE CAPT HAD THE RADIOS. WE WERE EXPECTING A TURN TO BASE IN ABOUT 3 MI. AT THIS TIME ATC ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT A 'SHORT APCH.' I TOLD THE CAPT. WE COULD (I WAS FLYING) AND HE RELAYED IT TO ATC. ATC IMMEDIATELY TURNED US TO BASE AND THE CAPT, WHILE ON THE RADIO, REACHED OVER AND PUT THE GEAR DOWN (UNCOMMANDED AND AGAINST SOP). A LITTLE SHOCKED OVER THIS RAPID BREAKDOWN IN CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, I CONTINUED TO CONFIGURE AND FLY THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 35R. ON AN INTERCEPT HEADING TO FINAL, ATC TOLD US WE HAD OVERSHOT THE ASSIGNED HEADING BUT TO CONTINUE AS HE NOW SAID 'CLEARED VISUAL.' THE CAPT AND I HAD BOTH ASSUMED WE WERE CLEARED ALREADY. THE APCH WAS CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. THIS WAS AN ASSUMPTION OF CLEARANCE! WE WERE EXPECTING IT FROM ATC AFTER HE HAD ASKED US TO ACCEPT THE 'SHORT APPROACH.' THE MAIN DISTRACTION FOR ME AND PROBABLY WHY I DIDN'T CATCH THE CLEARANCE WAS THE CAPT DEVIATING FROM SOP. BY HIM PUTTING THE GEAR DOWN (UNCOMMANDED) WHILE REPEATING OUR CLEARANCE, DISTRACTED HIM. THE UNCOMMANDED CHANGE IN ACFT CONFIGURATION, DISTRACTED ME. IT PUT BOTH OF US IN THE 'CLEARED FOR VISUAL APPROACH' MODE MENTALLY.

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.

B737 flight crew turns towards final approach heading when given a vector for base for a short approach to den, co.