A cpr flight crew turns in the wrong direction after receiving heading change from ZNY, ny.

Attributes
ACN	488540
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2850 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	488540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The controller had started to give us changes in routing and altitude. It was difficult to hear him. Finally, he told us to turn 20 degrees or 30 degrees to the right (or I thought he said right) and an altitude to descend to. I read back the clearance and I set in the altitude and my copilot (the one flying) set in the new heading. At that point, my copilot said 'right turn, 30 degrees' as he was setting the new heading in the box. I once again called the controller and said 'turning right 30 degrees.' I got no response, so I figured that was what he wanted. A few mins later the controller came back and said we should have turned left. He gave us a new heading and told us to expedite to 15000 ft on the altitude. We did, and that was the last we heard about it. It was difficult to hear the controller. I believe the intercom system/radio communication system in this airplane may have been a factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR FLC TURNS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AFTER RECEIVING HDG CHANGE FROM ZNY, NY.

Narrative: THE CTLR HAD STARTED TO GIVE US CHANGES IN ROUTING AND ALT. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO HEAR HIM. FINALLY, HE TOLD US TO TURN 20 DEGS OR 30 DEGS TO THE R (OR I THOUGHT HE SAID R) AND AN ALT TO DSND TO. I READ BACK THE CLRNC AND I SET IN THE ALT AND MY COPLT (THE ONE FLYING) SET IN THE NEW HDG. AT THAT POINT, MY COPLT SAID 'R TURN, 30 DEGS' AS HE WAS SETTING THE NEW HDG IN THE BOX. I ONCE AGAIN CALLED THE CTLR AND SAID 'TURNING R 30 DEGS.' I GOT NO RESPONSE, SO I FIGURED THAT WAS WHAT HE WANTED. A FEW MINS LATER THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED L. HE GAVE US A NEW HDG AND TOLD US TO EXPEDITE TO 15000 FT ON THE ALT. WE DID, AND THAT WAS THE LAST WE HEARD ABOUT IT. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO HEAR THE CTLR. I BELIEVE THE INTERCOM SYS/RADIO COM SYS IN THIS AIRPLANE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR.

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.