An MD80 crew, arriving dfw, turned to the wrong heading, requiring corrective vectors from ATC.

Attributes
ACN	535158
Time
Date	200201
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : bonham
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	535158
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	535159
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were arriving dfw at XA40Z on jan/sun/02. Dfw regional approach frequency. About 20 mi out for an approach to runway 17C, we were given turn to heading 210 degrees and slow to 210 KTS. I read back 210 degree heading, slower to 210 KTS. The first officer and I looked at each other because of the heading and thought it was an early turn to runway 17C and the intercept was going to be really close in, or was the controller changing us to runway 17L? Before I could key the microphone, the controller gave us a turn back to 270 degrees. I replied 'turning to heading 270 degrees.' the controller said he had said 'turn to a 270 degree heading' and I said 'no, that your instructions were heading 210 degrees and 210 KTS.' we were then given a 300 degree heading to return back to the final approach course to runway 17C. Approach was completed and landing was accomplished. Supplemental information from acn 535159: approach told us to slow to 210 KTS and turn to a heading of 210 degrees. We answered and complied with the controller, but thought that it was odd because he gave a turn to the airport instead of vectoring us to get us in line for landing on runway 17C.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW, ARRIVING DFW, TURNED TO THE WRONG HDG, REQUIRING CORRECTIVE VECTORS FROM ATC.

Narrative: WE WERE ARRIVING DFW AT XA40Z ON JAN/SUN/02. DFW REGIONAL APCH FREQ. ABOUT 20 MI OUT FOR AN APCH TO RWY 17C, WE WERE GIVEN TURN TO HDG 210 DEGS AND SLOW TO 210 KTS. I READ BACK 210 DEG HDG, SLOWER TO 210 KTS. THE FO AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER BECAUSE OF THE HDG AND THOUGHT IT WAS AN EARLY TURN TO RWY 17C AND THE INTERCEPT WAS GOING TO BE REALLY CLOSE IN, OR WAS THE CTLR CHANGING US TO RWY 17L? BEFORE I COULD KEY THE MIKE, THE CTLR GAVE US A TURN BACK TO 270 DEGS. I REPLIED 'TURNING TO HDG 270 DEGS.' THE CTLR SAID HE HAD SAID 'TURN TO A 270 DEG HDG' AND I SAID 'NO, THAT YOUR INSTRUCTIONS WERE HDG 210 DEGS AND 210 KTS.' WE WERE THEN GIVEN A 300 DEG HDG TO RETURN BACK TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 17C. APCH WAS COMPLETED AND LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 535159: APCH TOLD US TO SLOW TO 210 KTS AND TURN TO A HDG OF 210 DEGS. WE ANSWERED AND COMPLIED WITH THE CTLR, BUT THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ODD BECAUSE HE GAVE A TURN TO THE ARPT INSTEAD OF VECTORING US TO GET US IN LINE FOR LNDG ON RWY 17C.

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.