C172 pilot after takeoff at pafb became confused when controller instructed a right turnout.

Attributes
ACN	532324
Time
Date	200112
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cof.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cof.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : cof.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5.4 flight time total : 140 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	532324
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Approximately XA00 on dec/sat/01, I was departing patrick AFB, fl. After ground runup and taxi to runway 20, I contacted the tower, 'tower, [flight number] ready for takeoff, holding short of runway 20 at taxiway left, request left turn and departure south along the beach.' the tower controller stated, '[flight number] cleared for takeoff' along with a clearance to incoming traffic on base, with no comment on my requested turnout and departure. I typically wait until approximately 700 ft AGL, near end of the runway to begin turnout, but knowing there was also an F16 waiting to depart behind me, I repeated my departure request at approximately 400 ft AGL. The controller stated, '[flight number], turn right,' with no specifics on heading. I repeated my request for a departure south along the beach, and again was instructed, '[flight number], turn right.' having never received or heard an instruction from ATC to make a turn without reference to a heading (and altitude), and not given any reason for an opposite direction turn, I did not understand the instruction and delayed making a turn. Next, a second controller transmitted a very firm directive, '[flight number] turn right!' and I immediately turned to a 270 degree heading and continued my climb. This delay in making the right turn frustrated the second controller. He idented himself as the tower supervisor and angrily stated that my delayed turn caused him to hold a plane on the ground. I would attribute the cause of this misunderstanding on the tower not using standard phraseology, and my receiving a turn opposite my requested direction. I believe a more appropriate communication would have been '[flight number] turn right heading 270 degrees for departing traffic,' or '[flight number] I need you to turn right for departing traffic to 270 degrees, will have a sbound turn as soon as possible.' other suggested actions: be ready for unexpected routing or turns. Ask for clarification 'please clarify turn and requested heading.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT AFTER TKOF AT PAFB BECAME CONFUSED WHEN CTLR INSTRUCTED A R TURNOUT.

Narrative: APPROX XA00 ON DEC/SAT/01, I WAS DEPARTING PATRICK AFB, FL. AFTER GND RUNUP AND TAXI TO RWY 20, I CONTACTED THE TWR, 'TWR, [FLT NUMBER] READY FOR TKOF, HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 20 AT TXWY L, REQUEST L TURN AND DEP S ALONG THE BEACH.' THE TWR CTLR STATED, '[FLT NUMBER] CLRED FOR TKOF' ALONG WITH A CLRNC TO INCOMING TFC ON BASE, WITH NO COMMENT ON MY REQUESTED TURNOUT AND DEP. I TYPICALLY WAIT UNTIL APPROX 700 FT AGL, NEAR END OF THE RWY TO BEGIN TURNOUT, BUT KNOWING THERE WAS ALSO AN F16 WAITING TO DEPART BEHIND ME, I REPEATED MY DEP REQUEST AT APPROX 400 FT AGL. THE CTLR STATED, '[FLT NUMBER], TURN R,' WITH NO SPECIFICS ON HDG. I REPEATED MY REQUEST FOR A DEP S ALONG THE BEACH, AND AGAIN WAS INSTRUCTED, '[FLT NUMBER], TURN R.' HAVING NEVER RECEIVED OR HEARD AN INSTRUCTION FROM ATC TO MAKE A TURN WITHOUT REF TO A HDG (AND ALT), AND NOT GIVEN ANY REASON FOR AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TURN, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUCTION AND DELAYED MAKING A TURN. NEXT, A SECOND CTLR XMITTED A VERY FIRM DIRECTIVE, '[FLT NUMBER] TURN R!' AND I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO A 270 DEG HDG AND CONTINUED MY CLB. THIS DELAY IN MAKING THE R TURN FRUSTRATED THE SECOND CTLR. HE IDENTED HIMSELF AS THE TWR SUPVR AND ANGRILY STATED THAT MY DELAYED TURN CAUSED HIM TO HOLD A PLANE ON THE GND. I WOULD ATTRIBUTE THE CAUSE OF THIS MISUNDERSTANDING ON THE TWR NOT USING STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY, AND MY RECEIVING A TURN OPPOSITE MY REQUESTED DIRECTION. I BELIEVE A MORE APPROPRIATE COM WOULD HAVE BEEN '[FLT NUMBER] TURN R HDG 270 DEGS FOR DEPARTING TFC,' OR '[FLT NUMBER] I NEED YOU TO TURN R FOR DEPARTING TFC TO 270 DEGS, WILL HAVE A SBOUND TURN ASAP.' OTHER SUGGESTED ACTIONS: BE READY FOR UNEXPECTED ROUTING OR TURNS. ASK FOR CLARIFICATION 'PLEASE CLARIFY TURN AND REQUESTED HDG.'

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.