B737-300 flight crew has a track and heading deviation during approach.

Attributes
ACN	716771
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 191
ASRS Report	716771
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 229 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	716768
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

It was the second leg of the first day of a 3-DAY pairing. The planned flight was to mdw. WX forced us to divert to ZZZ. While on vectors with approach for the ILS to runway 4L at ZZZ we had numerous instructed changes in heading and altitude. I was flying and had the autoplt coupled. The controller gave us a heading and descent to 3000 ft MSL and intercept the localizer to runway 4L. We were intercepting the localizer when the controller told us we were going through final and to head 360 degrees and climb to 4000 ft MSL to reintercept. I immediately disengaged the autoplt and complied with the instructions. The controller called out traffic on final for runway 4R and we acknowledged. We were now high on glide path and so I asked for flaps 40 degrees in order to get back to glide path. The landing was uneventful. There were no TCAS advisories during the event. I feel that we followed the controller's instructions precisely and that the incident was due to poor vectors. Supplemental information from acn 716768: there was a significant tailwind and the aircraft captured the localizer and turned left 30 degrees of bank to the localizer course of 044.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS A TRACK AND HDG DEV DURING APCH.

Narrative: IT WAS THE SECOND LEG OF THE FIRST DAY OF A 3-DAY PAIRING. THE PLANNED FLT WAS TO MDW. WX FORCED US TO DIVERT TO ZZZ. WHILE ON VECTORS WITH APCH FOR THE ILS TO RWY 4L AT ZZZ WE HAD NUMEROUS INSTRUCTED CHANGES IN HDG AND ALT. I WAS FLYING AND HAD THE AUTOPLT COUPLED. THE CTLR GAVE US A HDG AND DSCNT TO 3000 FT MSL AND INTERCEPT THE LOC TO RWY 4L. WE WERE INTERCEPTING THE LOC WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US WE WERE GOING THROUGH FINAL AND TO HEAD 360 DEGS AND CLB TO 4000 FT MSL TO REINTERCEPT. I IMMEDIATELY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND COMPLIED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR CALLED OUT TFC ON FINAL FOR RWY 4R AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED. WE WERE NOW HIGH ON GLIDE PATH AND SO I ASKED FOR FLAPS 40 DEGS IN ORDER TO GET BACK TO GLIDE PATH. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. THERE WERE NO TCAS ADVISORIES DURING THE EVENT. I FEEL THAT WE FOLLOWED THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS PRECISELY AND THAT THE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO POOR VECTORS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 716768: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT TAILWIND AND THE ACFT CAPTURED THE LOC AND TURNED L 30 DEGS OF BANK TO THE LOC COURSE OF 044.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.