Approach controller failed to clear air carrier to resume own navigation when on airway.

Attributes
ACN	98604
Time
Date	198811
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jvl
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msn tracon : rfd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2850 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	98604
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

On flight lse-ord approximately 25 miles northwest of jvl VOR we were assigned 090 degrees heading vectors from madison approach for intrail spacing from company aircraft. Another vector to 130 degrees was given by madison. Several minutes passed and we were handed off to rockford approach. Our filed route was V97-farmm which is the R109 from jvl VOR, in this area. Approximately 22 DME from jvl still on 130 degrees heading rockford queried us on our speed and position. We responded that madison had not given us a speed reduction and we were 130 degrees heading rockford approach turned us to 090 degrees and informed us we should be flying the V97 airway. We told him we thought we were still being vectored for spacing. He told us spacing was fine. At this time we were approximately 4 miles south of V97. We turned to 090 degrees with no further incident confirmation of crews readback from madison would have stopped any problem from occurring. We acknowledged the 130 degree heading assignment. If a 'on course' instruction or 'resume own navigation' was given, it should have been reverified by the controller when we omitted it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR FAILED TO CLEAR ACR TO RESUME OWN NAVIGATION WHEN ON AIRWAY.

Narrative: ON FLT LSE-ORD APPROX 25 MILES NW OF JVL VOR WE WERE ASSIGNED 090 DEGS HEADING VECTORS FROM MADISON APCH FOR INTRAIL SPACING FROM COMPANY ACFT. ANOTHER VECTOR TO 130 DEGS WAS GIVEN BY MADISON. SEVERAL MINUTES PASSED AND WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ROCKFORD APCH. OUR FILED ROUTE WAS V97-FARMM WHICH IS THE R109 FROM JVL VOR, IN THIS AREA. APPROX 22 DME FROM JVL STILL ON 130 DEGS HDG ROCKFORD QUERIED US ON OUR SPEED AND POSITION. WE RESPONDED THAT MADISON HAD NOT GIVEN US A SPEED REDUCTION AND WE WERE 130 DEGS HDG ROCKFORD APCH TURNED US TO 090 DEGS AND INFORMED US WE SHOULD BE FLYING THE V97 AIRWAY. WE TOLD HIM WE THOUGHT WE WERE STILL BEING VECTORED FOR SPACING. HE TOLD US SPACING WAS FINE. AT THIS TIME WE WERE APPROX 4 MILES S OF V97. WE TURNED TO 090 DEGS WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT CONFIRMATION OF CREWS READBACK FROM MADISON WOULD HAVE STOPPED ANY PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE 130 DEG HDG ASSIGNMENT. IF A 'ON COURSE' INSTRUCTION OR 'RESUME OWN NAV' WAS GIVEN, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REVERIFIED BY THE CTLR WHEN WE OMITTED IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.