Narrative:

Departed lga at XA46Z. Runway 13 whitestone climb. WX was overcast, rain, numerous thunderstorms in vicinity with 1 cell located 8-10 mi east of lga on extended centerline of runway 13. Departure procedure called for immediate right turn to heading 180 degrees. This turn was made properly. Procedure then called for a left turn to 040 degrees at lga 2.5 DME. Just as first officer was about to start the left turn to 040 degrees, new york departure said 'turn left to 310 degrees.' I set heading but to 310 degrees. It was turned to the left. As this was more than a 180 degree turn, the flight director commanded a right turn to 310 degrees (the shortest way). The first officer, PF, incorrectly followed the flight director. Aircraft turned right to about 240 degrees before I and new york departure noticed incorrect direction of turn. Both the captain and ATC directed a left turn to 310 degrees. Left turn was then made. No separation was lost. Flight proceeded uneventfully. Contributing factors: first officer was on his IOE trip on the B737. WX: numerous thunderstorms in immediate vicinity, specifically on extended centerline of departure runway with low overcast and rain. PNF, captain, distraction by raising gear, flaps, setting MCP for climb mode, setting heading and doing radio work. Automation: flight director 'thought' it should turn right because that was the shortest way to get to desired heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG CREW, DEPARTING LGA, UPON BEING ISSUED A L TURN, STARTED A R TURN INSTEAD!

Narrative: DEPARTED LGA AT XA46Z. RWY 13 WHITESTONE CLB. WX WAS OVCST, RAIN, NUMEROUS TSTMS IN VICINITY WITH 1 CELL LOCATED 8-10 MI E OF LGA ON EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 13. DEP PROC CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE R TURN TO HDG 180 DEGS. THIS TURN WAS MADE PROPERLY. PROC THEN CALLED FOR A L TURN TO 040 DEGS AT LGA 2.5 DME. JUST AS FO WAS ABOUT TO START THE L TURN TO 040 DEGS, NEW YORK DEP SAID 'TURN L TO 310 DEGS.' I SET HDG BUT TO 310 DEGS. IT WAS TURNED TO THE L. AS THIS WAS MORE THAN A 180 DEG TURN, THE FLT DIRECTOR COMMANDED A R TURN TO 310 DEGS (THE SHORTEST WAY). THE FO, PF, INCORRECTLY FOLLOWED THE FLT DIRECTOR. ACFT TURNED R TO ABOUT 240 DEGS BEFORE I AND NEW YORK DEP NOTICED INCORRECT DIRECTION OF TURN. BOTH THE CAPT AND ATC DIRECTED A L TURN TO 310 DEGS. L TURN WAS THEN MADE. NO SEPARATION WAS LOST. FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FO WAS ON HIS IOE TRIP ON THE B737. WX: NUMEROUS TSTMS IN IMMEDIATE VICINITY, SPECIFICALLY ON EXTENDED CTRLINE OF DEP RWY WITH LOW OVCST AND RAIN. PNF, CAPT, DISTR BY RAISING GEAR, FLAPS, SETTING MCP FOR CLB MODE, SETTING HDG AND DOING RADIO WORK. AUTOMATION: FLT DIRECTOR 'THOUGHT' IT SHOULD TURN R BECAUSE THAT WAS THE SHORTEST WAY TO GET TO DESIRED 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.