Narrative:

During vectors 070 degree heading for visual approach runway 16, ATC assigned left turn 350 degree heading during descent to 8000 ft. As PNF, my recollection was to hear and read back 150 degree heading. ATC queried our heading as we passed through 110 degree heading. Controller stated mismatch between our course and his intent. New vectors to final provided, no apparent loss of separation. Human factors include faulty hearback/readback, erroneous assumption of next vector to join final as appropriate to aircraft position. Both crew were sure enough of vector to preclude verification with ATC. I am typically a strong advocate of questioning ATC when in doubt. Bottom line: take nothing for granted. As a minor point, controllers often doubly emphasize direction of turn when not intuitive. I realize it is not their responsibility to do so. Supplemental information from acn 534082: we were given a heading. We thought it was a turn to the right, from base to final, so started our turn to the right. Approach queried us on our heading, and told us that he had wanted a left turn to 350 degrees. He said then to continue to the right, all the way around to 350 degrees. We assumed we were on base to final and heard a heading to put us on final. Controller did not stress turning left, out of ordinary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLC TURNS THE WRONG WAY TO A WRONG HDG WHILE BEING VECTORED BY APCH CTLR FOR AN APCH TO RWY 16 AT DEN, CO.

Narrative: DURING VECTORS 070 DEG HDG FOR VISUAL APCH RWY 16, ATC ASSIGNED L TURN 350 DEG HDG DURING DSCNT TO 8000 FT. AS PNF, MY RECOLLECTION WAS TO HEAR AND READ BACK 150 DEG HDG. ATC QUERIED OUR HDG AS WE PASSED THROUGH 110 DEG HDG. CTLR STATED MISMATCH BTWN OUR COURSE AND HIS INTENT. NEW VECTORS TO FINAL PROVIDED, NO APPARENT LOSS OF SEPARATION. HUMAN FACTORS INCLUDE FAULTY HEARBACK/READBACK, ERRONEOUS ASSUMPTION OF NEXT VECTOR TO JOIN FINAL AS APPROPRIATE TO ACFT POS. BOTH CREW WERE SURE ENOUGH OF VECTOR TO PRECLUDE VERIFICATION WITH ATC. I AM TYPICALLY A STRONG ADVOCATE OF QUESTIONING ATC WHEN IN DOUBT. BOTTOM LINE: TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED. AS A MINOR POINT, CTLRS OFTEN DOUBLY EMPHASIZE DIRECTION OF TURN WHEN NOT INTUITIVE. I REALIZE IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 534082: WE WERE GIVEN A HDG. WE THOUGHT IT WAS A TURN TO THE R, FROM BASE TO FINAL, SO STARTED OUR TURN TO THE R. APCH QUERIED US ON OUR HDG, AND TOLD US THAT HE HAD WANTED A L TURN TO 350 DEGS. HE SAID THEN TO CONTINUE TO THE R, ALL THE WAY AROUND TO 350 DEGS. WE ASSUMED WE WERE ON BASE TO FINAL AND HEARD A HDG TO PUT US ON FINAL. CTLR DID NOT STRESS TURNING L, OUT OF ORDINARY.

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.