Narrative:

Cessna aircraft X departed rhv airport runway 31R. The aircraft requested 'closed traffic' and was assigned right traffic to runway 31R. On departure, the controller instructed aircraft X to 'extend upward, I'll advise on right turn for traffic inbound.' aircraft X responded with 'I'll extend upwind.' at 1 mi off the departure end of runway 31R, aircraft X turned right directly into the path of the inbound cessna aircraft Y. There was approximately 2 mi separation head-on. Aircraft X was instructed to make an immediate left turn. Aircraft X responded 'left turn' but made an immediate right turn to downwind. The inbound cessna stopped his descent at 1400 ft and made an immediate right turn to avoid collision. The pilot in aircraft X then stated he was a student and did not understand his instructions. Aircraft X was instructed to call the tower upon landing. Aircraft X requested and was approved a full stop landing. Student released by instructors too soon to operate alone in pattern. Student did not understand simplest of all ATC instructions but acknowledged them anyway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 STUDENT PLT TURNS THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHEN GIVEN CONFLICT TURN IN TFC PATTERN CAUSING THE OTHER ACFT TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION.

Narrative: CESSNA ACFT X DEPARTED RHV ARPT RWY 31R. THE ACFT REQUESTED 'CLOSED TFC' AND WAS ASSIGNED R TFC TO RWY 31R. ON DEP, THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ACFT X TO 'EXTEND UPWARD, I'LL ADVISE ON R TURN FOR TFC INBOUND.' ACFT X RESPONDED WITH 'I'LL EXTEND UPWIND.' AT 1 MI OFF THE DEP END OF RWY 31R, ACFT X TURNED R DIRECTLY INTO THE PATH OF THE INBOUND CESSNA ACFT Y. THERE WAS APPROX 2 MI SEPARATION HEAD-ON. ACFT X WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN. ACFT X RESPONDED 'L TURN' BUT MADE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO DOWNWIND. THE INBOUND CESSNA STOPPED HIS DSCNT AT 1400 FT AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO AVOID COLLISION. THE PLT IN ACFT X THEN STATED HE WAS A STUDENT AND DID NOT UNDERSTAND HIS INSTRUCTIONS. ACFT X WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE TWR UPON LNDG. ACFT X REQUESTED AND WAS APPROVED A FULL STOP LNDG. STUDENT RELEASED BY INSTRUCTORS TOO SOON TO OPERATE ALONE IN PATTERN. STUDENT DID NOT UNDERSTAND SIMPLEST OF ALL ATC INSTRUCTIONS BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THEM ANYWAY.

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.