Narrative:

While being vectored for jfk VOR DME runway 22L approach, ATC instructed us to intercept the VOR DME runway 22L final approach course and slow to 180 KTS. As we were slowing, ATC informed us that we were significantly faster than the traffic we were following and that this wouldn't work. He then broke off the approach instructing us to turn to heading 280 degrees. I was hand flying the aircraft and thought that the approach controller had instructed us to turn left to 280 degrees. I queried my first officer who told me that the controller had merely instructed us to turn to 280 degrees. I then initiated a right turn to 280 degrees. No sooner had I rolled out on this heading than the controller said, 'didn't I tell you to turn left to 280 degrees?' he sounded irritated. I apologized, at which point he cleared us to 1600 ft. He reaffirmed that his previous instruction was a left turn. He then asked us if we had the airport in sight at 10 O'clock position. We acquired the airport visually through very hazy skies, and the approach controller cleared us for the visual before handing us over to jfk tower. The tower cleared us to land. Though we were quite high, we completed a normal landing without incident. No conflict occurred. This situation reaffirmed the need to clarify any confusion about an ATC clearance with the controller, not with my fellow pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEV WHEN PIC OF A CE550 MISINTERPS THE DIRECTION OF TURN FOR A VECTOR ISSUED BY APCH CTLR WHILE 8 MI NW OF JFK, NY.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR JFK VOR DME RWY 22L APCH, ATC INSTRUCTED US TO INTERCEPT THE VOR DME RWY 22L FINAL APCH COURSE AND SLOW TO 180 KTS. AS WE WERE SLOWING, ATC INFORMED US THAT WE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN THE TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING AND THAT THIS WOULDN'T WORK. HE THEN BROKE OFF THE APCH INSTRUCTING US TO TURN TO HEADING 280 DEGS. I WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT AND THOUGHT THAT THE APCH CTLR HAD INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L TO 280 DEGS. I QUERIED MY FO WHO TOLD ME THAT THE CTLR HAD MERELY INSTRUCTED US TO TURN TO 280 DEGS. I THEN INITIATED A R TURN TO 280 DEGS. NO SOONER HAD I ROLLED OUT ON THIS HEADING THAN THE CTLR SAID, 'DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO TURN L TO 280 DEGS?' HE SOUNDED IRRITATED. I APOLOGIZED, AT WHICH POINT HE CLRED US TO 1600 FT. HE REAFFIRMED THAT HIS PREVIOUS INSTRUCTION WAS A L TURN. HE THEN ASKED US IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT 10 O'CLOCK POS. WE ACQUIRED THE ARPT VISUALLY THROUGH VERY HAZY SKIES, AND THE APCH CTLR CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL BEFORE HANDING US OVER TO JFK TWR. THE TWR CLRED US TO LAND. THOUGH WE WERE QUITE HIGH, WE COMPLETED A NORMAL LNDG WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. THIS SIT REAFFIRMED THE NEED TO CLARIFY ANY CONFUSION ABOUT AN ATC CLRNC WITH THE CTLR, NOT WITH MY FELLOW PLT.

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.