Flight departing lga on 90 degree heading cleared by departure controller turn to 270 degrees. Capta...

Attributes
ACN	194784
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	194787
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Ny departure amended our SID when we checked in -- fly a 90 degree heading in lieu of a 40 degree heading. We maintained our initially assigned altitude and heading 090 degree. Several mins later ny called, 'flight xxy turn left 270.' we were flight XXX so I called to confirm instructions were for XXX. Ny answered, 'XXX turn left 270 degree.' I was uneasy with instructions for a 180 degree course reversal, back into the departure flow of traffic from ny so I again queried the 180 degree course reversal. Ny would not answer and continued talking to other aircraft on the frequency. I was very frustrated as I consider instructions for a complete course reversal extremely rare but I am not in the habit of ignoring ATC instructions. Finally after 3-4 calls, ny answered, 'XXX, left 270 degree now!' between 30 seconds and a min were wasted. Owing to the very unusual instructions I think ny should have followed up on my request for a clarification immediately. It is very unfair of a controller to blurt out an oddball instruction and then ignore repeated pilot requests for clarification. These sort of situations lead to accidents. I admit that ATC instructions are to be followed immediately but my considerable experience operating in this airspace gave me reason for doubt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT DEPARTING LGA ON 90 DEG HDG CLRED BY DEP CTLR TURN TO 270 DEGS. CAPT DID NOT START TURN UNTIL HE OBTAINED CONFIRMATION OF COURSE REVERSAL.

Narrative: NY DEP AMENDED OUR SID WHEN WE CHKED IN -- FLY A 90 DEG HDG IN LIEU OF A 40 DEG HDG. WE MAINTAINED OUR INITIALLY ASSIGNED ALT AND HDG 090 DEG. SEVERAL MINS LATER NY CALLED, 'FLT XXY TURN L 270.' WE WERE FLT XXX SO I CALLED TO CONFIRM INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOR XXX. NY ANSWERED, 'XXX TURN L 270 DEG.' I WAS UNEASY WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR A 180 DEG COURSE REVERSAL, BACK INTO THE DEP FLOW OF TFC FROM NY SO I AGAIN QUERIED THE 180 DEG COURSE REVERSAL. NY WOULD NOT ANSWER AND CONTINUED TALKING TO OTHER ACFT ON THE FREQ. I WAS VERY FRUSTRATED AS I CONSIDER INSTRUCTIONS FOR A COMPLETE COURSE REVERSAL EXTREMELY RARE BUT I AM NOT IN THE HABIT OF IGNORING ATC INSTRUCTIONS. FINALLY AFTER 3-4 CALLS, NY ANSWERED, 'XXX, L 270 DEG NOW!' BTWN 30 SECONDS AND A MIN WERE WASTED. OWING TO THE VERY UNUSUAL INSTRUCTIONS I THINK NY SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED UP ON MY REQUEST FOR A CLARIFICATION IMMEDIATELY. IT IS VERY UNFAIR OF A CTLR TO BLURT OUT AN ODDBALL INSTRUCTION AND THEN IGNORE REPEATED PLT REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION. THESE SORT OF SITUATIONS LEAD TO ACCIDENTS. I ADMIT THAT ATC INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO BE FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BUT MY CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE OPERATING IN THIS AIRSPACE GAVE ME REASON FOR DOUBT.

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.

Flight departing lga on 90 degree heading cleared by departure controller turn to 270 degrees. Captain did not start turn until he obtained confirmation of course reversal.