Narrative:

Flight from lga-msp. Passing 32500 ft climbing to 35000 ft. Received aural 'traffic' call on TCASII, looked up and spotted aircraft visually -- TCASII read -400 ft. We turned right immediately and continued our climb to 35000 ft. Center had earlier given us a vector to the right of 20 degrees for traffic. My first officer was flying the aircraft. I suddenly realized that we had both inadvertently put our heading bugs to the left instead of to the right and turned the wrong way. I picked up the microphone to call ZOB and before I could speak, they came on frequency and asked our heading. I told them we were doing 275 degrees but were in a right turn to avoid traffic visually. Center told us to continue right to a 330 or 340 heading. I informed center that we had the other aircraft visually as we continued to turn right and climb to 35000 ft. At time of initial TCASII acquisition, other aircraft showed 4000 ft below us. By time of voice contact with ATC, we were 1000 ft higher and still climbing. TCASII did give us a mild preventive RA ('monitor vertical speed'), which we adhered to (continued to climb). ZOB said that no alarms had gone off, meaning we were never closer than 5 mi and that was verified by our TCASII (approximately 5 1/2 mi). We both turned the wrong way with our heading bugs -- suggestions: 1) when pilots receive clearance to 'turn for traffic X degrees,' suggest they readback to center what heading that will be -- ATC might then catch an error. 2) when ATC gives that type of clearance, suggest they follow up with 'and say new heading.' this might also catch inadvertent non compliance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TURNS WRONG DIRECTION ON RADAR VECTOR FOR AVOIDANCE. RECEIVES TCASII RA.

Narrative: FLT FROM LGA-MSP. PASSING 32500 FT CLBING TO 35000 FT. RECEIVED AURAL 'TFC' CALL ON TCASII, LOOKED UP AND SPOTTED ACFT VISUALLY -- TCASII READ -400 FT. WE TURNED R IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUED OUR CLB TO 35000 FT. CTR HAD EARLIER GIVEN US A VECTOR TO THE R OF 20 DEGS FOR TFC. MY FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT. I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT WE HAD BOTH INADVERTENTLY PUT OUR HDG BUGS TO THE L INSTEAD OF TO THE R AND TURNED THE WRONG WAY. I PICKED UP THE MICROPHONE TO CALL ZOB AND BEFORE I COULD SPEAK, THEY CAME ON FREQ AND ASKED OUR HDG. I TOLD THEM WE WERE DOING 275 DEGS BUT WERE IN A R TURN TO AVOID TFC VISUALLY. CTR TOLD US TO CONTINUE R TO A 330 OR 340 HDG. I INFORMED CTR THAT WE HAD THE OTHER ACFT VISUALLY AS WE CONTINUED TO TURN R AND CLB TO 35000 FT. AT TIME OF INITIAL TCASII ACQUISITION, OTHER ACFT SHOWED 4000 FT BELOW US. BY TIME OF VOICE CONTACT WITH ATC, WE WERE 1000 FT HIGHER AND STILL CLBING. TCASII DID GIVE US A MILD PREVENTIVE RA ('MONITOR VERT SPD'), WHICH WE ADHERED TO (CONTINUED TO CLB). ZOB SAID THAT NO ALARMS HAD GONE OFF, MEANING WE WERE NEVER CLOSER THAN 5 MI AND THAT WAS VERIFIED BY OUR TCASII (APPROX 5 1/2 MI). WE BOTH TURNED THE WRONG WAY WITH OUR HDG BUGS -- SUGGESTIONS: 1) WHEN PLTS RECEIVE CLRNC TO 'TURN FOR TFC X DEGS,' SUGGEST THEY READBACK TO CTR WHAT HDG THAT WILL BE -- ATC MIGHT THEN CATCH AN ERROR. 2) WHEN ATC GIVES THAT TYPE OF CLRNC, SUGGEST THEY FOLLOW UP WITH 'AND SAY NEW HDG.' THIS MIGHT ALSO CATCH INADVERTENT NON COMPLIANCE.

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.