Narrative:

I am a new captain with the airline on the medium large transport. We weighed 142000 pounds for takeoff which is 18000 pounds below maximum gross weight. When we called ord ground for taxi they asked if we could accept runway 9L or runway 22L for departure since there would be a delay for runway 27L. Even though we were legal for the 2 shorter runways, I still requested the longer one (runway 27L) since I am still new in the airplane and felt it would be safer. We came out of gate and taxied via the stub and parallel to runway 27L. On the runway 27L parallel, ground told us to monitor tower. While on the parallel taxiway after the before takeoff checklist was completed, I gave our takeoff briefing which at that time included runway heading (since we had received no other heading at the time) and to maintain/verify 5000 ft set in the altitude alerter. Approximately 2500 ft from the approach end of the runway we were given position and hold on runway 27L. I then made our before takeoff PA. Approximately 500 ft from the approach end of the runway we were given cleared for takeoff, turn (we are not sure which direction the controller said) 040 degree heading. (Copilot remembered starting to turn heading knob left to 040 degrees but since that would be the long way around, he turned it to the right, but something did not feel right.) I said, yes, 040 degrees takes us to our first fix badger VOR. I did not remember hearing left or right and since the word 'left' was not emphasized, I turned to the right. The copilot on his readback of the clearance for takeoff and assigned heading does not remember if he said left to 040 degrees or heading 040 degrees. He believes he only said heading 040 degrees. On departure, we started a right turn heading 040 degrees. 1/2 way through the turn, the tower controller asked if we were in a left turn to 040 degrees and we said no. We are in a right turn. He told us to maintain our heading and maintain 3000 ft. (Clearance was to 5000 ft.) I said we must have missed the left turn and was there a problem. Tower controller stated we went over the arrival path of runway 14R. There was no conflict, however. How this could have been avoided: 1) if you have a feeling something's not right, then it probably is not. I.e., copilot turning heading knob one way then the other. Make sure if there is any question, make sure you question it. 2) as a new captain or even an experienced captain, you must always be aware of every ATC clearance and make sure you hear and understand it clearly. 3) when ATC issues a turn of more than 180 degrees, the controller should emphasize the direction and 'the long way around' or something to that extent.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TURNS WRONG DIRECTION WHEN GIVEN VECTOR AT TKOF. MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL INTERSECTING RWYS.

Narrative: I AM A NEW CAPT WITH THE AIRLINE ON THE MLG. WE WEIGHED 142000 LBS FOR TKOF WHICH IS 18000 LBS BELOW MAX GROSS WT. WHEN WE CALLED ORD GND FOR TAXI THEY ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT RWY 9L OR RWY 22L FOR DEP SINCE THERE WOULD BE A DELAY FOR RWY 27L. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE LEGAL FOR THE 2 SHORTER RWYS, I STILL REQUESTED THE LONGER ONE (RWY 27L) SINCE I AM STILL NEW IN THE AIRPLANE AND FELT IT WOULD BE SAFER. WE CAME OUT OF GATE AND TAXIED VIA THE STUB AND PARALLEL TO RWY 27L. ON THE RWY 27L PARALLEL, GND TOLD US TO MONITOR TWR. WHILE ON THE PARALLEL TXWY AFTER THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED, I GAVE OUR TKOF BRIEFING WHICH AT THAT TIME INCLUDED RWY HDG (SINCE WE HAD RECEIVED NO OTHER HDG AT THE TIME) AND TO MAINTAIN/VERIFY 5000 FT SET IN THE ALT ALERTER. APPROX 2500 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY WE WERE GIVEN POS AND HOLD ON RWY 27L. I THEN MADE OUR BEFORE TKOF PA. APPROX 500 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY WE WERE GIVEN CLRED FOR TKOF, TURN (WE ARE NOT SURE WHICH DIRECTION THE CTLR SAID) 040 DEG HDG. (COPLT REMEMBERED STARTING TO TURN HDG KNOB L TO 040 DEGS BUT SINCE THAT WOULD BE THE LONG WAY AROUND, HE TURNED IT TO THE R, BUT SOMETHING DID NOT FEEL RIGHT.) I SAID, YES, 040 DEGS TAKES US TO OUR FIRST FIX BADGER VOR. I DID NOT REMEMBER HEARING L OR R AND SINCE THE WORD 'L' WAS NOT EMPHASIZED, I TURNED TO THE R. THE COPLT ON HIS READBACK OF THE CLRNC FOR TKOF AND ASSIGNED HDG DOES NOT REMEMBER IF HE SAID L TO 040 DEGS OR HDG 040 DEGS. HE BELIEVES HE ONLY SAID HDG 040 DEGS. ON DEP, WE STARTED A R TURN HDG 040 DEGS. 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TURN, THE TWR CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE IN A L TURN TO 040 DEGS AND WE SAID NO. WE ARE IN A R TURN. HE TOLD US TO MAINTAIN OUR HDG AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT. (CLRNC WAS TO 5000 FT.) I SAID WE MUST HAVE MISSED THE L TURN AND WAS THERE A PROB. TWR CTLR STATED WE WENT OVER THE ARR PATH OF RWY 14R. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, HOWEVER. HOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED: 1) IF YOU HAVE A FEELING SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, THEN IT PROBABLY IS NOT. I.E., COPLT TURNING HDG KNOB ONE WAY THEN THE OTHER. MAKE SURE IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION, MAKE SURE YOU QUESTION IT. 2) AS A NEW CAPT OR EVEN AN EXPERIENCED CAPT, YOU MUST ALWAYS BE AWARE OF EVERY ATC CLRNC AND MAKE SURE YOU HEAR AND UNDERSTAND IT CLRLY. 3) WHEN ATC ISSUES A TURN OF MORE THAN 180 DEGS, THE CTLR SHOULD EMPHASIZE THE DIRECTION AND 'THE LONG WAY AROUND' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EXTENT.

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.