Narrative:

While cruising at FL310 on direct routing (adjacent to J89, approaching lvt VOR, and approximately 60 NM south), ATC gave instruction of 10 degrees left for traffic. I acknowledged 10 degrees left, set my heading bug accordingly, and turned on my flight director (used as a memory aid when I'm on vectors). The first officer, who was flying, uncoupled the autoplt from the omega navigation system and initiated the turn. I had been previously occupied with collecting data and making notes about an earlier maintenance problem. I had resumed writing after the first officer initiated the turn. Shortly thereafter (estimated 2-3 mins) ATC questioned the turn. I looked up and found that we had in fact turned in the wrong direction. ATC gave us 25 degrees left now (with some urgency) and gave an identical direction to another (sbound) aircraft. As we initiated the turn, we received a single TCASII TA. We were given a direct clearance shortly following, with no additional incident. The problem could have been prevented by not performing nonessential paperwork in flight. Supplemental information from acn 335830: fatigue was a contributing factor. We had a triple generator failure on the first takeoff when leaving fll and experienced a 3 hour delay. The aircraft radio volume being accidentally turned down was the largest factor. I had heard 'for traffic,' but not clearly which direction to turn. To prevent a recurrence I will absolutely be insistent that both crew members repeat ATC instructions. In future when I am talking on the radio, I will make an effort to give ATC the new heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN L 10 DEGS, BUT THE PF THOUGHT THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR A R TURN. THE ARTCC INTERVENED, THIS TIME ISSUING A 25 DEG TURN TO BOTH ACFT. AS THE FLC INITIATED THE TURN, THEY RECEIVED A SINGLE TCASII TA.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL310 ON DIRECT ROUTING (ADJACENT TO J89, APCHING LVT VOR, AND APPROX 60 NM S), ATC GAVE INSTRUCTION OF 10 DEGS L FOR TFC. I ACKNOWLEDGED 10 DEGS L, SET MY HDG BUG ACCORDINGLY, AND TURNED ON MY FLT DIRECTOR (USED AS A MEMORY AID WHEN I'M ON VECTORS). THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING, UNCOUPLED THE AUTOPLT FROM THE OMEGA NAV SYS AND INITIATED THE TURN. I HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY OCCUPIED WITH COLLECTING DATA AND MAKING NOTES ABOUT AN EARLIER MAINT PROB. I HAD RESUMED WRITING AFTER THE FO INITIATED THE TURN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER (ESTIMATED 2-3 MINS) ATC QUESTIONED THE TURN. I LOOKED UP AND FOUND THAT WE HAD IN FACT TURNED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. ATC GAVE US 25 DEGS L NOW (WITH SOME URGENCY) AND GAVE AN IDENTICAL DIRECTION TO ANOTHER (SBOUND) ACFT. AS WE INITIATED THE TURN, WE RECEIVED A SINGLE TCASII TA. WE WERE GIVEN A DIRECT CLRNC SHORTLY FOLLOWING, WITH NO ADDITIONAL INCIDENT. THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY NOT PERFORMING NONESSENTIAL PAPERWORK IN FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 335830: FATIGUE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. WE HAD A TRIPLE GENERATOR FAILURE ON THE FIRST TKOF WHEN LEAVING FLL AND EXPERIENCED A 3 HR DELAY. THE ACFT RADIO VOLUME BEING ACCIDENTALLY TURNED DOWN WAS THE LARGEST FACTOR. I HAD HEARD 'FOR TFC,' BUT NOT CLRLY WHICH DIRECTION TO TURN. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE I WILL ABSOLUTELY BE INSISTENT THAT BOTH CREW MEMBERS REPEAT ATC INSTRUCTIONS. IN FUTURE WHEN I AM TALKING ON THE RADIO, I WILL MAKE AN EFFORT TO GIVE ATC THE NEW HDG.

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.