Narrative:

Following the newark 6 departure after takeoff runway 22R, at 2.3 DME, I began a right turn from a heading of 190 degrees to a heading of 220 degrees. During the turn, newark departure told us to turn to a heading of 040 degrees. The captain turned the heading bug left from 220 degrees to 040 degrees. I rolled out of the right turn and began a left turn to a heading of 040 degrees. I thought this was unusual so I asked the captain to confirm that it was a left turn. The captain called departure and the controller confirmed a left turn to a heading of 040 degrees. As I continued the turn, the supervisor came on the radio and told us to make an immediate right turn 040 degrees and make the turn as tight as possible. I stopped the left turn and began a right turn. The supervisor then told us that you never get a left turn departing runway 22 because of new york traffic. As far as I know there was no conflict with any other traffic. Although I thought the left turn was unusual, when the original controller confirmed our query. I thought there must have been some reason for the left instead of the usual right turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CREW STARTS THEIR TURN TO THE AMENDED HDG IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL DEP CTLR AT N90 WHILE DEP EWR, NJ.

Narrative: FOLLOWING THE NEWARK 6 DEP AFTER TKOF RWY 22R, AT 2.3 DME, I BEGAN A R TURN FROM A HDG OF 190 DEGS TO A HDG OF 220 DEGS. DURING THE TURN, NEWARK DEP TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 040 DEGS. THE CAPT TURNED THE HDG BUG L FROM 220 DEGS TO 040 DEGS. I ROLLED OUT OF THE R TURN AND BEGAN A L TURN TO A HDG OF 040 DEGS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS UNUSUAL SO I ASKED THE CAPT TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS A L TURN. THE CAPT CALLED DEP AND THE CTLR CONFIRMED A L TURN TO A HDG OF 040 DEGS. AS I CONTINUED THE TURN, THE SUPVR CAME ON THE RADIO AND TOLD US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN 040 DEGS AND MAKE THE TURN AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE. I STOPPED THE L TURN AND BEGAN A R TURN. THE SUPVR THEN TOLD US THAT YOU NEVER GET A L TURN DEPARTING RWY 22 BECAUSE OF NEW YORK TFC. AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER TFC. ALTHOUGH I THOUGHT THE L TURN WAS UNUSUAL, WHEN THE ORIGINAL CTLR CONFIRMED OUR QUERY. I THOUGHT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME REASON FOR THE L INSTEAD OF THE USUAL R TURN.

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.