Narrative:

While in position and holding for takeoff on runway 32L at T-10 tower controller said 'flight X, after takeoff turn left heading 090 degrees, cleared for takeoff' first officer set new heading on FCU by turning knob left to 090 degrees captain (as PF), started turn to left after liftoff, then realizing that was the 'long way around' to 090 degrees told first officer to confirm left turn. First officer inquired to tower controller about left turn. Controller (obviously rushed and wanting to be rid of us) said 'fly heading 090 degrees and contact departure, now!' this of course did not confirm the direction of turn. Aircraft was in left turn as we made contact with departure control. Upon initial contact with departure controller first officer inquired about left turn. Departure controller said, 'flight X, turn right immediately!' by the urgency in the controller's voice, we assumed there was a traffic conflict, but no traffic was issued to us and we did not get any kind of TCASII alert. An immediate right turn was initiated by the PF (captain) and no other comments were given by ATC. This is an example of what happens at ord frequently. When controllers are working a heavy load of traffic and get rushed, they talk faster, and sometimes don't think about what they are saying. Additionally, the frequencys are so crowded, there is not time for inquiry in a timely fashion. It is also an example of overloaded and rushed crewmembers, not 'catching' a bad clearance in a timely fashion. We had a short taxi (air carrier bravo south to runway 32L at T-10 via A-9, tango, T-10) the freezing rain which was falling dictated extra procedures (ie, first officer to cabin to check wings for ice, just prior to takeoff). This in turn compressed all normal checklist duties, into a very short taxi time. Crew should have caught and questioned clearance prior to takeoff roll. Controller should have slowed his pace and given correcting information when we asked for it. Departure headings should be given in initial ATC clearance, not during takeoff clearance. This would give time for review, and to catch a 'bad clearance.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR IS CONCERNED HE MAY HAVE TURNED DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAN WAS INTENDED BY TRACON.

Narrative: WHILE IN POS AND HOLDING FOR TKOF ON RWY 32L AT T-10 TWR CTLR SAID 'FLT X, AFTER TKOF TURN L HDG 090 DEGS, CLRED FOR TKOF' FO SET NEW HDG ON FCU BY TURNING KNOB L TO 090 DEGS CAPT (AS PF), STARTED TURN TO L AFTER LIFTOFF, THEN REALIZING THAT WAS THE 'LONG WAY AROUND' TO 090 DEGS TOLD FO TO CONFIRM L TURN. FO INQUIRED TO TWR CTLR ABOUT L TURN. CTLR (OBVIOUSLY RUSHED AND WANTING TO BE RID OF US) SAID 'FLY HDG 090 DEGS AND CONTACT DEP, NOW!' THIS OF COURSE DID NOT CONFIRM THE DIRECTION OF TURN. ACFT WAS IN L TURN AS WE MADE CONTACT WITH DEP CTL. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP CTLR FO INQUIRED ABOUT L TURN. DEP CTLR SAID, 'FLT X, TURN R IMMEDIATELY!' BY THE URGENCY IN THE CTLR'S VOICE, WE ASSUMED THERE WAS A TFC CONFLICT, BUT NO TFC WAS ISSUED TO US AND WE DID NOT GET ANY KIND OF TCASII ALERT. AN IMMEDIATE R TURN WAS INITIATED BY THE PF (CAPT) AND NO OTHER COMMENTS WERE GIVEN BY ATC. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS AT ORD FREQUENTLY. WHEN CTLRS ARE WORKING A HVY LOAD OF TFC AND GET RUSHED, THEY TALK FASTER, AND SOMETIMES DON'T THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. ADDITIONALLY, THE FREQS ARE SO CROWDED, THERE IS NOT TIME FOR INQUIRY IN A TIMELY FASHION. IT IS ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF OVERLOADED AND RUSHED CREWMEMBERS, NOT 'CATCHING' A BAD CLRNC IN A TIMELY FASHION. WE HAD A SHORT TAXI (ACR BRAVO S TO RWY 32L AT T-10 VIA A-9, TANGO, T-10) THE FREEZING RAIN WHICH WAS FALLING DICTATED EXTRA PROCS (IE, FO TO CABIN TO CHK WINGS FOR ICE, JUST PRIOR TO TKOF). THIS IN TURN COMPRESSED ALL NORMAL CHKLIST DUTIES, INTO A VERY SHORT TAXI TIME. CREW SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT AND QUESTIONED CLRNC PRIOR TO TKOF ROLL. CTLR SHOULD HAVE SLOWED HIS PACE AND GIVEN CORRECTING INFO WHEN WE ASKED FOR IT. DEP HDGS SHOULD BE GIVEN IN INITIAL ATC CLRNC, NOT DURING TKOF CLRNC. THIS WOULD GIVE TIME FOR REVIEW, AND TO CATCH A 'BAD CLRNC.'

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.