ATCT local controller issued a 'long way around' turn to an air carrier lifting off.

Attributes
ACN	336680
Time
Date	199605
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msp tracon : cid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 197 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 375
ASRS Report	336680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	336682
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On takeoff from msp we were assigned runway heading (118 degrees). After takeoff, the aircraft was crabbed into the wind to 100 degrees. Tower gave us a left turn to 105 degrees. A left turn was started. The captain and I thought that this was unusual vector. Passing 1500 ft we were switched over to departure. When the captain checked in with departure, we were passing 045 degrees turning left. The captain asked departure to verify left turn to 105 degrees. Departure came back and said that's correct. About 15-20 seconds later, control had us make an immediate turn to the right. In retrospect, we should have checked with tower to see if they wanted a 350 degree turn, since there was confusion as to the turn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR ISSUED A 'LONG WAY AROUND' TURN TO AN ACR LIFTING OFF.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM MSP WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY HDG (118 DEGS). AFTER TKOF, THE ACFT WAS CRABBED INTO THE WIND TO 100 DEGS. TWR GAVE US A L TURN TO 105 DEGS. A L TURN WAS STARTED. THE CAPT AND I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS UNUSUAL VECTOR. PASSING 1500 FT WE WERE SWITCHED OVER TO DEP. WHEN THE CAPT CHKED IN WITH DEP, WE WERE PASSING 045 DEGS TURNING L. THE CAPT ASKED DEP TO VERIFY L TURN TO 105 DEGS. DEP CAME BACK AND SAID THAT'S CORRECT. ABOUT 15-20 SECONDS LATER, CTL HAD US MAKE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE R. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE CHKED WITH TWR TO SEE IF THEY WANTED A 350 DEG TURN, SINCE THERE WAS CONFUSION AS TO THE TURN.

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.