Military mlt departing yyr turns the wrong way and experiences potential conflict with 4 fighters.

Attributes
ACN	154491
Time
Date	199008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yyr
State Reference	NF
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : yyr tower : ind
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	154491
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

20 mins prior to takeoff from goose bay airport, I copied a clearance to turn left on course and climb to FL290. We were flying an mlt X to frankfurt germany. The copilot was flying from the left seat and I was performing copilot duties from the right seat. We both copied the clearance. After takeoff at approximately 400' AGL we performed a right turn on course in error. We were later told that we turned into the VFR traffic pattern and caused a conflict with a flight of 4 foreign fgt's Y. I believe that the problem was mainly caused by crew fatigue. We had been awake for 30 hours, and flying for over 12 hours. Also, better cockpit discipline could have prevented the problem ie, having the third pilot and F/east closely monitor the departure. The traffic conflict could have also been prevented if tower had informed us on departure frequency or guard (243.0 UHF, 121.5 VHF) that we were turning the wrong direction. I still accept responsibility for the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL MLT DEPARTING YYR TURNS THE WRONG WAY AND EXPERIENCES POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH 4 FIGHTERS.

Narrative: 20 MINS PRIOR TO TKOF FROM GOOSE BAY ARPT, I COPIED A CLRNC TO TURN L ON COURSE AND CLB TO FL290. WE WERE FLYING AN MLT X TO FRANKFURT GERMANY. THE COPLT WAS FLYING FROM THE L SEAT AND I WAS PERFORMING COPLT DUTIES FROM THE R SEAT. WE BOTH COPIED THE CLRNC. AFTER TKOF AT APPROX 400' AGL WE PERFORMED A R TURN ON COURSE IN ERROR. WE WERE LATER TOLD THAT WE TURNED INTO THE VFR TFC PATTERN AND CAUSED A CONFLICT WITH A FLT OF 4 FOREIGN FGT'S Y. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROB WAS MAINLY CAUSED BY CREW FATIGUE. WE HAD BEEN AWAKE FOR 30 HRS, AND FLYING FOR OVER 12 HRS. ALSO, BETTER COCKPIT DISCIPLINE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROB IE, HAVING THE THIRD PLT AND F/E CLOSELY MONITOR THE DEP. THE TFC CONFLICT COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN PREVENTED IF TWR HAD INFORMED US ON DEP FREQ OR GUARD (243.0 UHF, 121.5 VHF) THAT WE WERE TURNING THE WRONG DIRECTION. I STILL ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERROR.

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.