Narrative:

As we were cleared for takeoff on runway 22 tower advised to make a right turn to heading 020 degrees. Tower also advised of traffic north of field and a couple of other things. Normal procedure is to make a left turn on departure on the departure we were cleared on. When we took off both the first officer an I assumed we had been cleared for a left turn, when in fact we were cleared for a right turn. I feel the causes were, we had always had a left turn, so we assumed it was left, there were too many instructions given before takeoff, ie, light aircraft north of field, what their altitude was, plus, all the normal stuff. One thing that might be done to prevent this would be to put an initial heading on the hub 8 SID. We as pilots also have to learn never to assume anything!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TURNS WRONG WAY AFTER TKOF ON SID DEP.

Narrative: AS WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 22 TWR ADVISED TO MAKE A R TURN TO HDG 020 DEGS. TWR ALSO ADVISED OF TFC N OF FIELD AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS. NORMAL PROC IS TO MAKE A L TURN ON DEP ON THE DEP WE WERE CLRED ON. WHEN WE TOOK OFF BOTH THE FO AN I ASSUMED WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A L TURN, WHEN IN FACT WE WERE CLRED FOR A R TURN. I FEEL THE CAUSES WERE, WE HAD ALWAYS HAD A L TURN, SO WE ASSUMED IT WAS L, THERE WERE TOO MANY INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BEFORE TKOF, IE, LIGHT ACFT N OF FIELD, WHAT THEIR ALT WAS, PLUS, ALL THE NORMAL STUFF. ONE THING THAT MIGHT BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS WOULD BE TO PUT AN INITIAL HDG ON THE HUB 8 SID. WE AS PLTS ALSO HAVE TO LEARN NEVER TO ASSUME ANYTHING!

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.