MD80 flight crew turns wrong direction after takeoff when receiving clearance from departure.

Attributes
ACN	339123
Time
Date	199606
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : anc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 425
ASRS Report	339123
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

With clearance to fly runway heading we departed runway 24L at anc. We were told to maintain visual with a DHC8 which departed ahead of us and was approximately 4 mi ahead at our 11 O'clock position. When given a turn to 60 degrees, both the captain and I thought we heard left turn. I read back 'left turn to 60 degrees.' in the turn departure control asked if we were 'turning right as told?' when told we were in a left turn he re-pointed out our DHC8 traffic at 12 O'clock, 3 mi and 1500 ft above us. He said to continue the left turn to 120 degrees. Since we were told to keep visual with the DHC8 on takeoff, we may have wanted to hear the left turn since it would get us on course sooner. We still are not sure if the controller told us a left or right turn. However, since this happened I have been overstressing the direction of turns and or altitude changes in my readbacks, especially clrncs in busy arrival and departure areas.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC TURNS WRONG DIRECTION AFTER TKOF WHEN RECEIVING CLRNC FROM DEP.

Narrative: WITH CLRNC TO FLY RWY HDG WE DEPARTED RWY 24L AT ANC. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH A DHC8 WHICH DEPARTED AHEAD OF US AND WAS APPROX 4 MI AHEAD AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS. WHEN GIVEN A TURN TO 60 DEGS, BOTH THE CAPT AND I THOUGHT WE HEARD L TURN. I READ BACK 'L TURN TO 60 DEGS.' IN THE TURN DEP CTL ASKED IF WE WERE 'TURNING R AS TOLD?' WHEN TOLD WE WERE IN A L TURN HE RE-POINTED OUT OUR DHC8 TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 3 MI AND 1500 FT ABOVE US. HE SAID TO CONTINUE THE L TURN TO 120 DEGS. SINCE WE WERE TOLD TO KEEP VISUAL WITH THE DHC8 ON TKOF, WE MAY HAVE WANTED TO HEAR THE L TURN SINCE IT WOULD GET US ON COURSE SOONER. WE STILL ARE NOT SURE IF THE CTLR TOLD US A L OR R TURN. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS HAPPENED I HAVE BEEN OVERSTRESSING THE DIRECTION OF TURNS AND OR ALT CHANGES IN MY READBACKS, ESPECIALLY CLRNCS IN BUSY ARR AND DEP AREAS.

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.