Narrative:

Tower cleared aircraft for takeoff runway 14 with right turn to 020 degree heading. PF initiated turn after takeoff, 'left to 020 degrees.' tower immediately advised 'right' turn to 020 degrees. Turn initiated to the right. All turns made within 2 mi of runway while assigned to tower frequency. Heavy thunderstorms in the area and attention to aircraft WX radar caused the PF to turn nearest direction to 020 degrees. He didn't hear the 'right' turn to 020 degrees. Third day of a 3 day trip for an medium large transport 2-M crew. Schedule routinely includes afternoon commencement of duty and does not terminate until after midnight. West coast crew--2 hour time difference. Fatigue may have also been a contributor. Supplemental information from acn 152300: in aviation and commercial air carrier operation we try to do things in as expeditious way possible. The left turn was the shortest direction and seemed natural. Both of us missed the direction (if given as a right turn) and looked in on the heading 020 degrees. If something out of the norm is given, extra emphasis must be given to ensure communication is made, not that it is just transmitted. 'Right turn heading 020 degrees, right turn.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG DEPARTING IAH INADVERTENTLY TURNS LEFT TOWARD THEIR INITIAL HEADING RATHER THAN RIGHT AS THEY WERE CLEARED. A LEFT TURN WAS THE SHORT WAY WHILE A RIGHT TURN WAS THE LONG WAY AROUND.

Narrative: TWR CLRED ACFT FOR TKOF RWY 14 WITH RIGHT TURN TO 020 DEG HDG. PF INITIATED TURN AFTER TKOF, 'LEFT TO 020 DEGS.' TWR IMMEDIATELY ADVISED 'RIGHT' TURN TO 020 DEGS. TURN INITIATED TO THE RIGHT. ALL TURNS MADE WITHIN 2 MI OF RWY WHILE ASSIGNED TO TWR FREQ. HEAVY TSTMS IN THE AREA AND ATTN TO ACFT WX RADAR CAUSED THE PF TO TURN NEAREST DIRECTION TO 020 DEGS. HE DIDN'T HEAR THE 'RIGHT' TURN TO 020 DEGS. THIRD DAY OF A 3 DAY TRIP FOR AN MLG 2-M CREW. SCHEDULE ROUTINELY INCLUDES AFTERNOON COMMENCEMENT OF DUTY AND DOES NOT TERMINATE UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT. W COAST CREW--2 HR TIME DIFFERENCE. FATIGUE MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN A CONTRIBUTOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 152300: IN AVIATION AND COMMERCIAL ACR OPERATION WE TRY TO DO THINGS IN AS EXPEDITIOUS WAY POSSIBLE. THE LEFT TURN WAS THE SHORTEST DIRECTION AND SEEMED NATURAL. BOTH OF US MISSED THE DIRECTION (IF GIVEN AS A RIGHT TURN) AND LOOKED IN ON THE HDG 020 DEGS. IF SOMETHING OUT OF THE NORM IS GIVEN, EXTRA EMPHASIS MUST BE GIVEN TO ENSURE COM IS MADE, NOT THAT IT IS JUST XMITTED. 'RIGHT TURN HDG 020 DEGS, RIGHT TURN.'

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.