A319 makes incorrect turn when departing iah.

Attributes
ACN	578593
Time
Date	200304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon tower : iah.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	578593
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Takeoff from runway 15L iah. Tower said turn to heading 360 degrees after departure. I was the PNF and thought the tower said 'left turn to 360 degrees after takeoff.' we made a left turn. The tower called and that was a right turn now turn to 020 degrees and maintain 3000 ft, then told to call approach. Approach said turn left 360 degrees now, maintain 4000 ft. I asked departure control if there was a problem and did we have a course problem with the departure. The reply was no problem caused. We then continued our climb and switched over to ZHU. One of the problems is that we received the takeoff as we taxied onto the runway and the first officer made the readback and he was the one flying the takeoff and I didn't make sure about which way to turn after takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 MAKES INCORRECT TURN WHEN DEPARTING IAH.

Narrative: TKOF FROM RWY 15L IAH. TWR SAID TURN TO HEADING 360 DEGS AFTER DEP. I WAS THE PNF AND THOUGHT THE TWR SAID 'L TURN TO 360 DEGS AFTER TKOF.' WE MADE A L TURN. THE TWR CALLED AND THAT WAS A R TURN NOW TURN TO 020 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT, THEN TOLD TO CALL APCH. APCH SAID TURN L 360 DEGS NOW, MAINTAIN 4000 FT. I ASKED DEP CTL IF THERE WAS A PROB AND DID WE HAVE A COURSE PROB WITH THE DEP. THE REPLY WAS NO PROB CAUSED. WE THEN CONTINUED OUR CLB AND SWITCHED OVER TO ZHU. ONE OF THE PROBS IS THAT WE RECEIVED THE TKOF AS WE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND THE FO MADE THE READBACK AND HE WAS THE ONE FLYING THE TKOF AND I DIDN'T MAKE SURE ABOUT WHICH WAY TO TURN AFTER TKOF.

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.