Narrative:

After working the midnight shift, noticed that the conditions were good for some INS approachs in actual conditions. I was tired but felt that I was ok for a quick flight in the local area to keep up IFR competency. The clearance was the same as usual for a turn to 270 degrees. However this time, since the usual runway 28 was not in use it was for a right turn rather than a left turn. After takeoff, the communication radios squelch stopped working and there was a very annoying hiss. I started trying to adjust it when the tower handed me off to departure. Still trying to fix the squelch, I allowed my old habits to take over and entered a left turn while contacting departure. They wanted to know why I was turning left instead of right. A quick look at my clearance agreed with them. They said there was no conflict or anything but to be more careful. I agreed with them that I should. The rest of the flight was uneventful. This situation made me stop and think about some hows and whys. While I am proud that I work hard to keep up my IFR currency, I must remember that fatigue is a very important factor to consider, therefore when feeling the effects of working a odd hours shift, it is not a good idea to fly. Also, it is imperative that the clearance is read and understood before flying it. It must be flown by what it says, not what I think it says. In other words, it is a good idea to double check it before taking action. And last, it is very foolish to be playing with any system on the aircraft at low altitude that can wait for a few mins for a higher altitude and a little more free time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN TO MAINTAIN CURRENCY TURNS WRONG DIRECTION AFTER DEP.

Narrative: AFTER WORKING THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT, NOTICED THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE GOOD FOR SOME INS APCHS IN ACTUAL CONDITIONS. I WAS TIRED BUT FELT THAT I WAS OK FOR A QUICK FLT IN THE LCL AREA TO KEEP UP IFR COMPETENCY. THE CLRNC WAS THE SAME AS USUAL FOR A TURN TO 270 DEGS. HOWEVER THIS TIME, SINCE THE USUAL RWY 28 WAS NOT IN USE IT WAS FOR A RIGHT TURN RATHER THAN A LEFT TURN. AFTER TKOF, THE COM RADIOS SQUELCH STOPPED WORKING AND THERE WAS A VERY ANNOYING HISS. I STARTED TRYING TO ADJUST IT WHEN THE TWR HANDED ME OFF TO DEP. STILL TRYING TO FIX THE SQUELCH, I ALLOWED MY OLD HABITS TO TAKE OVER AND ENTERED A LEFT TURN WHILE CONTACTING DEP. THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY I WAS TURNING LEFT INSTEAD OF RIGHT. A QUICK LOOK AT MY CLRNC AGREED WITH THEM. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OR ANYTHING BUT TO BE MORE CAREFUL. I AGREED WITH THEM THAT I SHOULD. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THIS SITUATION MADE ME STOP AND THINK ABOUT SOME HOWS AND WHYS. WHILE I AM PROUD THAT I WORK HARD TO KEEP UP MY IFR CURRENCY, I MUST REMEMBER THAT FATIGUE IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR TO CONSIDER, THEREFORE WHEN FEELING THE EFFECTS OF WORKING A ODD HRS SHIFT, IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO FLY. ALSO, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE CLRNC IS READ AND UNDERSTOOD BEFORE FLYING IT. IT MUST BE FLOWN BY WHAT IT SAYS, NOT WHAT I THINK IT SAYS. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO DOUBLE CHK IT BEFORE TAKING ACTION. AND LAST, IT IS VERY FOOLISH TO BE PLAYING WITH ANY SYS ON THE ACFT AT LOW ALT THAT CAN WAIT FOR A FEW MINS FOR A HIGHER ALT AND A LITTLE MORE FREE TIME.

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