A departing air carrier takes wrong turn after takeoff and conflicts with a previous departure.

Attributes
ACN	179806
Time
Date	199105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : jfk tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 290
ASRS Report	179806
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff, we turned to the heading of 185 degrees. We received for our ACARS clearance delivery printout. Takeoff was from runway 13 and when we switched to departure frequency we were asked what heading tower had assigned us. I replied no heading, we only had our clearance of 185 degrees. At that time the captain who was flying the aircraft pointed out the traffic in front of us by 2 mi at 1 O'clock, and also the display on our TCAS. I did not read back any heading to tower when we were cleared for takeoff. Departure control immediately returned us to runway heading which he said should have been issued to us by tower prior to takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEPARTING ACR TAKES WRONG TURN AFTER TKOF AND CONFLICTS WITH A PREVIOUS DEP.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, WE TURNED TO THE HDG OF 185 DEGS. WE RECEIVED FOR OUR ACARS CLRNC DELIVERY PRINTOUT. TKOF WAS FROM RWY 13 AND WHEN WE SWITCHED TO DEP FREQ WE WERE ASKED WHAT HDG TWR HAD ASSIGNED US. I REPLIED NO HDG, WE ONLY HAD OUR CLRNC OF 185 DEGS. AT THAT TIME THE CAPT WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT POINTED OUT THE TFC IN FRONT OF US BY 2 MI AT 1 O'CLOCK, AND ALSO THE DISPLAY ON OUR TCAS. I DID NOT READ BACK ANY HDG TO TWR WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. DEP CTL IMMEDIATELY RETURNED US TO RWY HDG WHICH HE SAID SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO US BY TWR PRIOR TO TKOF.

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.