MD88 IS CONFUSED WITH ATC'S IMMEDIATE HDG REVISION AT ATL.

Date: 2003-09 · Aircraft: MD-88 · Phase: approach

Anomalies: deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

MD88 IS CONFUSED WITH ATC'S IMMEDIATE HDG REVISION AT ATL.

Narrative

VECTOR TO DOWNWIND. GIVEN HDG 095 DEGS; 7000 FT. WE READ BACK ASSIGNED ALT AND HDG; AND BEGAN DSCNT AND TURN. NEXT GIVEN HDG 350 DEGS AND 5000 FT. WE READ BACK ASSIGNMENT AND CONTINUED DSCNT. INSTRUCTIONS WERE ABOUT 30 SECONDS APART. N TURN AT OUR POS WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL; BUT DID NOT CALL TO VERIFY DUE COM TFC. WE WERE HDG 350 DEGS DSNDING THROUGH 9000 FT WHEN SUPVR CALLED; ASKED FOR TIGHT TURN TO 095 DEGS AND LEVEL AT 8000 FT. WE COMPLIED. WE ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION OF ATC'S INTENTIONS. WERE TOLD WE MAY HAVE TAKEN ANOTHER ACFT'S VECTOR IN ERROR. COPLT AND I WERE CERTAIN CALL SIGN ACCOMPANYING ASSIGNMENT WAS CORRECT. REMAINDER OF APCH/LNDG NORMAL. I CALLED ATL TRACON TO SPEAK WITH THE SUPVR AFTER ARR. ANOTHER CTLR ANSWERED; SAID SUPVR WAS BUSY REVIEWING TAPE -- TRAINING WAS IN PROGRESS DURING OUR ARR; AND NO FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. WE SHOULD HAVE DOUBLE CHKED OUR ASSIGNED ALT/HDG DESPITE THE TFC; ALTHOUGH WE THOUGHT THE CTLR MAY BE SENDING US TO THE N RWYS AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO LET US KNOW.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.