Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from tvc to bis. The WX at tvc was VFR (visibility 10 mi, ceiling 5000 ft). The tower gave me my clearance, and then cleared me for takeoff on runway 10, with instructions to turn left on course. My en route course was 290 degrees. At about 500 ft, I became unsure whether I had been instructed to turn left on course, or to turn right on course. Turning left on course would put me directly over town and it seemed more likely that I would have been told to turn right. I called tower and asked 'was that a right or left turn?' I got no answer, and I started a turn to the right. I did not make a second attempt to contact the tower. A min or 2 later, after I was already in the climbing right turn, I was instructed to contact upon contacting center, they noted I had turned right instead of left, and it turned out they had a inbound aircraft (coming from the we and a landing on runway 10, I believe). As far as I know, at no point was there a traffic conflict. At that point, my recollection of what was said is hazy. I continued my turn toward the west, and a min or so later, center then asked my heading -- 'turning through 260 degrees to 290DEGS.' apparently, after the initial call to center, they had told me to turn to a heading of 120 degrees, but I do not remember that call, and am fairly sure I did not acknowledge such instructions. At that point, center told me to turn to 360 degrees, and level off at 2000 ft. That put me over the airport. Several mi north of the field, I was told to turn left on course and climb to my cruising altitude. Center also made clear that they were unhappy that I had not followed instructions. They asked if I had received tower's 'turn left after takeoff' and I confirmed that I had. I mentioned my aborted attempt to get clarification from tower but they dismissed that. In reviewing this incident, it is clear that I goofed in not turning left. I should have insisted on a response from tower when I questioned the 'left or right' instruction. Alternatively, getting on response from tower, I should have continued on a runway heading and asked center what they wanted M to do rather than making the assumption I did. Fatigue probably played a part since I had already flown 3 and a half hours from the baltimore area, in IFR and turbulent conditions. Also, they relatively good local WX (5000 ft overcast and 10 military visibility), and apparent lack of other aircraft, dulled my vigilance. With respect to the instruction to 'turn to 120 degrees,' I really have no explanation other than my mind was probably occupied with the 'why did you turn right when you should have turned left' rebuke from center.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C-T210 PLT TURNED THE WRONG WAY DURING AN IFR DEP FROM TVC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM TVC TO BIS. THE WX AT TVC WAS VFR (VISIBILITY 10 MI, CEILING 5000 FT). THE TWR GAVE ME MY CLRNC, AND THEN CLRED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 10, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN L ON COURSE. MY ENRTE COURSE WAS 290 DEGS. AT ABOUT 500 FT, I BECAME UNSURE WHETHER I HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN L ON COURSE, OR TO TURN R ON COURSE. TURNING L ON COURSE WOULD PUT ME DIRECTLY OVER TOWN AND IT SEEMED MORE LIKELY THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TURN R. I CALLED TWR AND ASKED 'WAS THAT A R OR L TURN?' I GOT NO ANSWER, AND I STARTED A TURN TO THE R. I DID NOT MAKE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE TWR. A MIN OR 2 LATER, AFTER I WAS ALREADY IN THE CLBING R TURN, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT UPON CONTACTING CTR, THEY NOTED I HAD TURNED R INSTEAD OF L, AND IT TURNED OUT THEY HAD A INBND ACFT (COMING FROM THE WE AND A LNDG ON RWY 10, I BELIEVE). AS FAR AS I KNOW, AT NO POINT WAS THERE A TFC CONFLICT. AT THAT POINT, MY RECOLLECTION OF WHAT WAS SAID IS HAZY. I CONTINUED MY TURN TOWARD THE W, AND A MIN OR SO LATER, CTR THEN ASKED MY HDG -- 'TURNING THROUGH 260 DEGS TO 290DEGS.' APPARENTLY, AFTER THE INITIAL CALL TO CTR, THEY HAD TOLD ME TO TURN TO A HDG OF 120 DEGS, BUT I DO NOT REMEMBER THAT CALL, AND AM FAIRLY SURE I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE SUCH INSTRUCTIONS. AT THAT POINT, CTR TOLD ME TO TURN TO 360 DEGS, AND LEVEL OFF AT 2000 FT. THAT PUT ME OVER THE ARPT. SEVERAL MI N OF THE FIELD, I WAS TOLD TO TURN L ON COURSE AND CLB TO MY CRUISING ALT. CTR ALSO MADE CLR THAT THEY WERE UNHAPPY THAT I HAD NOT FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS. THEY ASKED IF I HAD RECEIVED TWR'S 'TURN L AFTER TKOF' AND I CONFIRMED THAT I HAD. I MENTIONED MY ABORTED ATTEMPT TO GET CLARIFICATION FROM TWR BUT THEY DISMISSED THAT. IN REVIEWING THIS INCIDENT, IT IS CLR THAT I GOOFED IN NOT TURNING L. I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED ON A RESPONSE FROM TWR WHEN I QUESTIONED THE 'L OR R' INSTRUCTION. ALTERNATIVELY, GETTING ON RESPONSE FROM TWR, I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED ON A RWY HDG AND ASKED CTR WHAT THEY WANTED M TO DO RATHER THAN MAKING THE ASSUMPTION I DID. FATIGUE PROBABLY PLAYED A PART SINCE I HAD ALREADY FLOWN 3 AND A HALF HRS FROM THE BALTIMORE AREA, IN IFR AND TURBULENT CONDITIONS. ALSO, THEY RELATIVELY GOOD LCL WX (5000 FT OVERCAST AND 10 MIL VISIBILITY), AND APPARENT LACK OF OTHER ACFT, DULLED MY VIGILANCE. WITH RESPECT TO THE INSTRUCTION TO 'TURN TO 120 DEGS,' I REALLY HAVE NO EXPLANATION OTHER THAN MY MIND WAS PROBABLY OCCUPIED WITH THE 'WHY DID YOU TURN R WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE TURNED L' REBUKE FROM CTR.

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.