Narrative:

In cruise flight at FL390 ATC (ZKC) said 'fly heading 220 degrees for traffic.' I read back the instructions and the first officer (PF) changed the aircraft heading with the heading selector. While turning, I looked outside and saw a distant aircraft at my 11 O'clock position and assumed that this was the traffic we were turning for. I then went back to filling out the flight crew logbook. Approximately 20-25 seconds later ATC asked to verify our heading. I then replied, 'heading 260 degrees, not realizing that the first officer had turned to the wrong heading. ATC then said 'that's not the heading I told you, but maintain 260 degrees.' then ATC told another aircraft to change its heading. We had no TCASII alerts. Approximately 25-30 seconds after the incident, ATC cleared us direct to a waypoint on our flight plan. 1) fatigue was a contributing factor, because both crew members were on day 4 of a 4 day trip and had early show times the previous days. On this day, both crew members woke up at XA00 for a XB00 show time. 2) also contributing was me filling out paperwork in cruise flight. 3) I had been flying with this first officer all month and he had never had any problems following ATC instructions. I had the preconception that he would follow an ATC clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 FLC AT FL390 ALMOST FOILS CTLR'S PLANS AT ZKC FOR OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAME ALT TFC SEPARATION WHEN THEY TURN TO 260 DEGS VERSUS THE CLRNC FOR 220 DEGS, 20 NM E OF SGF VOR, MO.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT AT FL390 ATC (ZKC) SAID 'FLY HDG 220 DEGS FOR TFC.' I READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS AND THE FO (PF) CHANGED THE ACFT HDG WITH THE HDG SELECTOR. WHILE TURNING, I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAW A DISTANT ACFT AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS AND ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS THE TFC WE WERE TURNING FOR. I THEN WENT BACK TO FILLING OUT THE FLC LOGBOOK. APPROX 20-25 SECONDS LATER ATC ASKED TO VERIFY OUR HDG. I THEN REPLIED, 'HDG 260 DEGS, NOT REALIZING THAT THE FO HAD TURNED TO THE WRONG HDG. ATC THEN SAID 'THAT'S NOT THE HDG I TOLD YOU, BUT MAINTAIN 260 DEGS.' THEN ATC TOLD ANOTHER ACFT TO CHANGE ITS HDG. WE HAD NO TCASII ALERTS. APPROX 25-30 SECONDS AFTER THE INCIDENT, ATC CLRED US DIRECT TO A WAYPOINT ON OUR FLT PLAN. 1) FATIGUE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, BECAUSE BOTH CREW MEMBERS WERE ON DAY 4 OF A 4 DAY TRIP AND HAD EARLY SHOW TIMES THE PREVIOUS DAYS. ON THIS DAY, BOTH CREW MEMBERS WOKE UP AT XA00 FOR A XB00 SHOW TIME. 2) ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS ME FILLING OUT PAPERWORK IN CRUISE FLT. 3) I HAD BEEN FLYING WITH THIS FO ALL MONTH AND HE HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBS FOLLOWING ATC INSTRUCTIONS. I HAD THE PRECONCEPTION THAT HE WOULD FOLLOW AN ATC CLRNC.

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.