Air carrier large transport turned wrong way to avoid opposite direction traffic. Cause was either flight crew hearing wrong or ARTCC radar controller giving wrong turn.

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Attributes
ACN	358420
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lmn
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 630
ASRS Report	358420
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After receiving clearance direct to oal en route ord to sfo at FL350, requested FL390. During climb, heard 'turn left 10 degrees for climb.' after executing turn, short time thereafter, noticed 12 O'clock traffic on ACARS at FL370 (other aircraft was another passenger carrier) and about that time ATC asked if we had turned 'left or right' and issued a 20 degree turn back to right and expedited climb to FL390. Due to gross weight and buffet speeds was unable to climb more than about 800 FPM. Winds aloft were 330 degrees at 127 KTS and initial heading was 238 degrees, so this was setting us to left, which aggravated closure with other air carrier traffic. No RA in relation to other traffic, but received TA. Either both pilots 'misheard' turn direction or controller issued incorrect turn direction. Situation could have been corrected by increased pilot awareness and or controller requesting present heading and then issuing new required heading for proper separation as opposed to 'turn left or right XXX degrees.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TURNED WRONG WAY TO AVOID OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. CAUSE WAS EITHER FLC HEARING WRONG OR ARTCC RADAR CTLR GIVING WRONG TURN.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC DIRECT TO OAL ENRTE ORD TO SFO AT FL350, REQUESTED FL390. DURING CLB, HEARD 'TURN L 10 DEGS FOR CLB.' AFTER EXECUTING TURN, SHORT TIME THEREAFTER, NOTICED 12 O'CLOCK TFC ON ACARS AT FL370 (OTHER ACFT WAS ANOTHER PAX CARRIER) AND ABOUT THAT TIME ATC ASKED IF WE HAD TURNED 'L OR R' AND ISSUED A 20 DEG TURN BACK TO R AND EXPEDITED CLB TO FL390. DUE TO GROSS WT AND BUFFET SPDS WAS UNABLE TO CLB MORE THAN ABOUT 800 FPM. WINDS ALOFT WERE 330 DEGS AT 127 KTS AND INITIAL HDG WAS 238 DEGS, SO THIS WAS SETTING US TO L, WHICH AGGRAVATED CLOSURE WITH OTHER ACR TFC. NO RA IN RELATION TO OTHER TFC, BUT RECEIVED TA. EITHER BOTH PLTS 'MISHEARD' TURN DIRECTION OR CTLR ISSUED INCORRECT TURN DIRECTION. SIT COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED BY INCREASED PLT AWARENESS AND OR CTLR REQUESTING PRESENT HDG AND THEN ISSUING NEW REQUIRED HDG FOR PROPER SEPARATION AS OPPOSED TO 'TURN L OR R XXX DEGS.'

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.