An MD80 flight crew and approach controller have confusion about what the assigned heading was.

Attributes
ACN	526340
Time
Date	200110
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : brv.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	526340
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Upon being handed off to dulles (iad) approach control we were given a clearance to depart barin intersection (bru 0070/15 DME) on a 090 degree heading for approach to runway 19R. I repeated back clearance and wrote down 090 degrees from barin on notepad. Upon reaching barin the captain (PF) turned to the 090 degree heading. About 2-3 mins passed and controller told us to turn left to a 350 degree heading and indicated that we turned to 090 degrees in error. After a few mins, controller advised us we were given a 010 degree heading off off barin intersection. I advised him that I thought he gave us a 090 degree heading off barin, and that I replied with a readback of 090 degrees. I don't believe there was a conflict and nothing further was said, and I don't know if any further action will be taken. This was our first time into dulles in many yrs, so we were not familiar with common vectors for various arrival fixes. Perhaps if we would have evaluated the direction of the vector with the runway confign we would have questioned it. This was our 5TH leg of the day and fatigue may have played some part in this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW AND APCH CTLR HAVE CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THE ASSIGNED HEADING WAS.

Narrative: UPON BEING HANDED OFF TO DULLES (IAD) APCH CTL WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DEPART BARIN INTXN (BRU 0070/15 DME) ON A 090 DEG HDG FOR APCH TO RWY 19R. I REPEATED BACK CLRNC AND WROTE DOWN 090 DEGS FROM BARIN ON NOTEPAD. UPON REACHING BARIN THE CAPT (PF) TURNED TO THE 090 DEG HDG. ABOUT 2-3 MINS PASSED AND CTLR TOLD US TO TURN L TO A 350 DEG HDG AND INDICATED THAT WE TURNED TO 090 DEGS IN ERROR. AFTER A FEW MINS, CTLR ADVISED US WE WERE GIVEN A 010 DEG HDG OFF OFF BARIN INTXN. I ADVISED HIM THAT I THOUGHT HE GAVE US A 090 DEG HDG OFF BARIN, AND THAT I REPLIED WITH A READBACK OF 090 DEGS. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS A CONFLICT AND NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY FURTHER ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME INTO DULLES IN MANY YRS, SO WE WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH COMMON VECTORS FOR VARIOUS ARR FIXES. PERHAPS IF WE WOULD HAVE EVALUATED THE DIRECTION OF THE VECTOR WITH THE RWY CONFIGN WE WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED IT. THIS WAS OUR 5TH LEG OF THE DAY AND FATIGUE MAY HAVE PLAYED SOME PART IN THIS.

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.