Narrative:

I was the PF on aircraft X from hou to hlb on oct/tue/01. This was a 2-PLT operation. Aircraft was descending over southern indiana into hlb, working with ZID. We were given a clearance to descend to FL270, and a 20 degree heading change was also given off course, direct course to hlb. Shortly after initiating a 20 degree heading change to the left, and passing through FL310 or FL300, controller stated to make an immediate hard right turn to 070 degrees and expedite the descent to FL270. I immediately began a hard right turn to 070 degrees and immediately increased my rate of descent to FL270, and then to FL240, as a further clearance was given to FL240. Within a few mins after the above clearance to 070 degrees and descent, I called that controller back, frequency 132.52, while the other pilot monitored the current frequency we were on and asked if he was the controller who had given us the heading change a few mi back. This controller stated yes and the reason he gave me the hard right turn to 070 degrees, is because it appeared I began a left turn. I thanked him for his help. I understood the clearance to be a heading change to be 20 degrees left. At that time I was also monitoring the second communications radio which could have contributed to each pilot misunderstanding the initial clearance, heading change.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEGINNING A L 20 DEG HDG CHANGE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN WAS ISSUED BY THE CTLR. DURING FOLLOW-UP THE PLT FOUND THAT THE ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS FOR A R TURN AND HE HAD BEGUN HIS TURN IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF ON ACFT X FROM HOU TO HLB ON OCT/TUE/01. THIS WAS A 2-PLT OP. ACFT WAS DSNDING OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA INTO HLB, WORKING WITH ZID. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL270, AND A 20 DEG HDG CHANGE WAS ALSO GIVEN OFF COURSE, DIRECT COURSE TO HLB. SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING A 20 DEG HDG CHANGE TO THE L, AND PASSING THROUGH FL310 OR FL300, CTLR STATED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE HARD R TURN TO 070 DEGS AND EXPEDITE THE DSCNT TO FL270. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A HARD R TURN TO 070 DEGS AND IMMEDIATELY INCREASED MY RATE OF DSCNT TO FL270, AND THEN TO FL240, AS A FURTHER CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO FL240. WITHIN A FEW MINS AFTER THE ABOVE CLRNC TO 070 DEGS AND DSCNT, I CALLED THAT CTLR BACK, FREQ 132.52, WHILE THE OTHER PLT MONITORED THE CURRENT FREQ WE WERE ON AND ASKED IF HE WAS THE CTLR WHO HAD GIVEN US THE HEADING CHANGE A FEW MI BACK. THIS CTLR STATED YES AND THE REASON HE GAVE ME THE HARD R TURN TO 070 DEGS, IS BECAUSE IT APPEARED I BEGAN A L TURN. I THANKED HIM FOR HIS HELP. I UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC TO BE A HEADING CHANGE TO BE 20 DEGS L. AT THAT TIME I WAS ALSO MONITORING THE SECOND COMS RADIO WHICH COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO EACH PLT MISUNDERSTANDING THE INITIAL CLRNC, HEADING CHANGE.

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.