Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airspace Structure; Procedure; Human Factors
While I was acting as pilot flying we were issued 'direct LGA' at some point during the flight. This put us nearly; on a 040 heading towards the field and we were at 4;000 FT MSL. We were approaching the airport and came within; around 5-7 miles from our clearance limit (LGA) when the Captain (Pilot Monitoring) prompted NY approach to give us instructions for after we reached LGA. We were hastily given a heading and a new frequency to call. My interpretation of the heading given was 360 degrees; so I made the turn. After contacting the next frequency; the person told us we had made a wrong turn and gave us another series of headings to get us in line for the intended runway (31). Upon looking back at the event; it is possible that the previous controller gave us a 060 heading (which I mistook for 360). The 060 would have had us crossing the field still; but it would have been towards the intended approach not away from it. In the haste of the instructions given; we both questioned that the turn did not seem right but we were already with the next controller; who notified us. The event did not seem to bother the controller; he notified us then just gave us headings to get back into sequence.
First Officer reported receiving confusing heading assignments from separate controllers while being vectored for approach and landing at LaGuardia airport.