Narrative:

Air carrier X was handed off from ZME descending to 16k feet. After he had entered my airspace; I issued a descent and a 020 heading for the visual approach. I was busy (by springfield's standards) with parachute activity and pop-up VFR's. Either a) someone stepped on air carrier X during the read back and I 'thought' I heard the right one but didn't verify; or b) he read it back correctly and flew the wrong heading; or c) I issued the wrong heading to him and missed the read back. Whichever it was; when I looked back at him; I noticed him on a northwest track. I asked him his heading and he said he was flying the assigned 320 heading toward the ZKC boundary and toward my parachute activity area. He never got close enough to conflict with the parachute area; but could have if I hadn't noticed his heading. I don't believe he got closer than 3 miles from the boundary (it's within 40 miles of the radar antenna; so I only need 1 1/2); but just in case he was to 'slop over' before turning back; I made the point out with ZKC. I'm not sure who 'initially' dropped the ball on this; whether I issued the heading incorrectly or not and it didn't create an error or deviation; but I was responsible for ensuring his read back was correct and I didn't do it. Recommendation; I was complacent in not ensuring I got a correct read back. I was busy and didn't go back and double check. I will make a conscious effort to listen more carefully for proper read back in the future.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SGF Controller described near airspace incursion event listing failed vigilance with regard to readback hearback efforts as the casual factor.

Narrative: Air Carrier X was handed off from ZME descending to 16k feet. After he had entered my airspace; I issued a descent and a 020 heading for the visual approach. I was busy (by Springfield's standards) with parachute activity and pop-up VFR's. Either a) someone stepped on Air Carrier X during the read back and I 'thought' I heard the right one but didn't verify; or b) he read it back correctly and flew the wrong heading; or c) I issued the wrong heading to him and missed the read back. Whichever it was; when I looked back at him; I noticed him on a northwest track. I asked him his heading and he said he was flying the assigned 320 heading toward the ZKC boundary and toward my parachute activity area. He never got close enough to conflict with the parachute area; but could have if I hadn't noticed his heading. I don't believe he got closer than 3 miles from the boundary (it's within 40 miles of the radar antenna; so I only need 1 1/2); but just in case he was to 'slop over' before turning back; I made the point out with ZKC. I'm not sure who 'initially' dropped the ball on this; whether I issued the heading incorrectly or not and it didn't create an error or deviation; but I was responsible for ensuring his read back was correct and I didn't do it. Recommendation; I was complacent in not ensuring I got a correct read back. I was busy and didn't go back and double check. I will make a conscious effort to listen more carefully for proper read back in the future.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.