Flight crew of large transport receives clearance to turn left from heading 120 degrees to heading 290 degrees. Controller later calls to indicate a right turn was issued.

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Attributes
ACN	358630
Time
Date	199701
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tus tower : stl
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 : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	358630
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	358248
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Runway 11L used for departure with tus 6 departure, gbn transition. First assigned heading 120 degrees by tower prior to takeoff. Routine takeoff and cleanup was followed by what both the PF and PNF interpreted to be instructions by departure control to 'turn left' heading 290 degrees. PF (captain) initiated a gradual turn to assigned heading. As the heading of the aircraft was going through approximately 360 degrees, the departure controller stated that the direction to turn was supposed to be a right turn. Controller was queried as to whether any traffic conflict had occurred to which he replied 'negative, continue left turn to 270 degrees.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LGT RECEIVES CLRNC TO TURN L FROM HDG 120 DEGS TO HDG 290 DEGS. CTLR LATER CALLS TO INDICATE A R TURN WAS ISSUED.

Narrative: RWY 11L USED FOR DEP WITH TUS 6 DEP, GBN TRANSITION. FIRST ASSIGNED HDG 120 DEGS BY TWR PRIOR TO TKOF. ROUTINE TKOF AND CLEANUP WAS FOLLOWED BY WHAT BOTH THE PF AND PNF INTERPRETED TO BE INSTRUCTIONS BY DEP CTL TO 'TURN L' HDG 290 DEGS. PF (CAPT) INITIATED A GRADUAL TURN TO ASSIGNED HDG. AS THE HDG OF THE ACFT WAS GOING THROUGH APPROX 360 DEGS, THE DEP CTLR STATED THAT THE DIRECTION TO TURN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A R TURN. CTLR WAS QUERIED AS TO WHETHER ANY TFC CONFLICT HAD OCCURRED TO WHICH HE REPLIED 'NEGATIVE, CONTINUE L TURN TO 270 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.