E120 crew turned the wrong direction after takeoff towards assigned heading at hou.

Attributes
ACN	431910
Time
Date	199903
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon tower : hou.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	431910
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 575
ASRS Report	431913
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

It was the last leg of a 7 leg day line. We had been at work for 10 1/2 hours and were exhausted. Our pressurization system had malfunctioned on our flight inbound, forcing us to use the manual system and increasing our workload. Prior to departure we had difficulty with the local station, and our flight control in adjusting our release for the pressurization problem. All of which added to our frustration and distraction prior to takeoff. When we were issued our takeoff clearance, we were tired, distraction, and late, therefore anxious to get home. After takeoff, we turned right to our assigned heading rather than left as instructed. We were corrected by ATC when switched to departure. Though the perceived clearance seemed unusual to me, I did not want to allow my expectations to override what I thought I had heard. Perhaps, though, when perception and expectation differ is the most important time to check and confirm the clearance. I learned a great lesson today. A shorter duty day might not hurt either.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CREW TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION AFTER TKOF TOWARDS ASSIGNED HDG AT HOU.

Narrative: IT WAS THE LAST LEG OF A 7 LEG DAY LINE. WE HAD BEEN AT WORK FOR 10 1/2 HRS AND WERE EXHAUSTED. OUR PRESSURIZATION SYS HAD MALFUNCTIONED ON OUR FLT INBOUND, FORCING US TO USE THE MANUAL SYS AND INCREASING OUR WORKLOAD. PRIOR TO DEP WE HAD DIFFICULTY WITH THE LCL STATION, AND OUR FLT CTL IN ADJUSTING OUR RELEASE FOR THE PRESSURIZATION PROB. ALL OF WHICH ADDED TO OUR FRUSTRATION AND DISTR PRIOR TO TKOF. WHEN WE WERE ISSUED OUR TKOF CLRNC, WE WERE TIRED, DISTR, AND LATE, THEREFORE ANXIOUS TO GET HOME. AFTER TKOF, WE TURNED R TO OUR ASSIGNED HDG RATHER THAN L AS INSTRUCTED. WE WERE CORRECTED BY ATC WHEN SWITCHED TO DEP. THOUGH THE PERCEIVED CLRNC SEEMED UNUSUAL TO ME, I DID NOT WANT TO ALLOW MY EXPECTATIONS TO OVERRIDE WHAT I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD. PERHAPS, THOUGH, WHEN PERCEPTION AND EXPECTATION DIFFER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME TO CHK AND CONFIRM THE CLRNC. I LEARNED A GREAT LESSON TODAY. A SHORTER DUTY DAY MIGHT NOT HURT EITHER.

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.