Air carrier flight crew reported a heading deviation during a missed approach after receiving a late landing clearance from ATC. Flight crew felt ATC forgot to switch them to tower and turned in the wrong direction of ATC clearance during subsequent go around for an unstable approach.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported a heading deviation during a missed approach after receiving a late landing clearance from ATC. Flight crew felt ATC forgot to switch them to tower and turned in the wrong direction of ATC clearance during subsequent go around for an unstable approach.
Narrative
Approach 27C into Chicago 210 assigned approaching the FAF controller change and we didn't get any other assignments and they forgot about us while we are on short final. Queried approach and they transferred us to tower; I tried slowing down but we were gear up trying to slow to final after the marker. Got the gear not down message and decided to go around. ATC clears us to land and we tell them going missed. They give us runway heading to 4000; then runway heading to 2500 then a right turn 040. FO read back 040; I heard ATC say right 040; I heard the FO say right 040; I turned left for some reason to 040. I thought it was strange because we were on the north side turning left but it wasn't processing. ATC comes on and says right turn 040 now it processes and we start right; but then they give us a left turn to stay on the south side to come back around for runway 28C.Cause: My Own Fatigue High Workload Task Saturation Complacency.Suggestions: I think they just forgot about us during the controller change and one assumed the other was going to tell us 170 to the final contact tower there; the new controller might have assumed the old one told us so she wasn't thinking about us. I should have realized sooner that we were turning left heading south.
Second reporter narrative
On approach into ORD 27C 210 assigned approaching the FAF we had a controller change and didn't get other instructions from ATC and they've forgotten about us while on short final. I asked approach if they wanted us to switch to tower and we were told to switch to tower. Due to being handed off late to tower from approach; landing check list was done after the marker. Captain asked for gear down and got the gear not down message and decided to go around. ATC cleared us to land but we told them we were going around. ATC gave us the instructions runway heading to 4000; then runway heading to 2500 then right turn heading 040. I read back 040; captain heard right turn 040; but turned left 040. ATC came back on saying right turn 040; ATC then tells us to continue left for 28C.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.