Narrative:

The focus of the event is a possible traffic conflict between my aircraft and another. My aircraft was climbing on course to an assigned altitude of FL290. ATC issued a vector: right turn 15 degrees. Apparently, when this seemed insufficient, they issued an additional right 15 degrees. Due apparently to a misunderstanding of the clearance from ATC, the PF turned left instead of right. At approximately FL255, ATC assigned a new altitude of FL260. We had sufficient time to reset the altitude alerter and for the autoplt to level the aircraft at FL260 without exceeding the altitude. The conflicting traffic was reclred to stop descent at FL270. ATC asked and received verification that the conflict aircraft had leveled at FL270. I had acquired the conflict aircraft both on the TCASII and visually. Even though TCASII produced an RA, with conflict aircraft in sight, we had sufficient vertical separation, horizontal distance and divergent courses that no diversion action was deemed necessary. I believe contributing factors to the situation were as follows: 1) scheduled reduced rest period previous night (with poor sleep due to local factors). 2) failure of ATC controller to issue a specific heading for vector, as opposed to vague turns. 3) insufficient supervision of PF by PNF due to distraction (commercial chart updates).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW CREATES TFC CONFLICT WITH DSNDING ACFT AFTER TURNING THE WRONG WAY ON A VECTOR IN ZID AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE FOCUS OF THE EVENT IS A POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT BTWN MY ACFT AND ANOTHER. MY ACFT WAS CLBING ON COURSE TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF FL290. ATC ISSUED A VECTOR: R TURN 15 DEGS. APPARENTLY, WHEN THIS SEEMED INSUFFICIENT, THEY ISSUED AN ADDITIONAL R 15 DEGS. DUE APPARENTLY TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE CLRNC FROM ATC, THE PF TURNED L INSTEAD OF R. AT APPROX FL255, ATC ASSIGNED A NEW ALT OF FL260. WE HAD SUFFICIENT TIME TO RESET THE ALT ALERTER AND FOR THE AUTOPLT TO LEVEL THE ACFT AT FL260 WITHOUT EXCEEDING THE ALT. THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS RECLRED TO STOP DSCNT AT FL270. ATC ASKED AND RECEIVED VERIFICATION THAT THE CONFLICT ACFT HAD LEVELED AT FL270. I HAD ACQUIRED THE CONFLICT ACFT BOTH ON THE TCASII AND VISUALLY. EVEN THOUGH TCASII PRODUCED AN RA, WITH CONFLICT ACFT IN SIGHT, WE HAD SUFFICIENT VERT SEPARATION, HORIZ DISTANCE AND DIVERGENT COURSES THAT NO DIVERSION ACTION WAS DEEMED NECESSARY. I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE SIT WERE AS FOLLOWS: 1) SCHEDULED REDUCED REST PERIOD PREVIOUS NIGHT (WITH POOR SLEEP DUE TO LCL FACTORS). 2) FAILURE OF ATC CTLR TO ISSUE A SPECIFIC HDG FOR VECTOR, AS OPPOSED TO VAGUE TURNS. 3) INSUFFICIENT SUPERVISION OF PF BY PNF DUE TO DISTR (COMMERCIAL CHART UPDATES).

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.