Narrative:

Takeoff in den at maximum gross weight for the conditions; requiring toga; flaps 1+F and APU bleed on. We were only legal for runway 25 which goes against den tower procedures for our PLAIN4 departure. When cleared for takeoff; the tower controller told us to fly a non-standard 245 degree heading and that she needed an expedited climb through 8000 ft for arrival traffic. We advised her that we were at maximum gross weight and that we would give her the best climb that we could. Just after takeoff she reported radar contact and told us to turn to a heading of 130 degrees. Literally simultaneously with her 130 degree turn radio call we had an aircraft ECAM warning -- 'engine 2 egt over limit.' that ECAM has the potential for an engine shutdown. Needless to say; we were distraction. The first officer (PF) started a turn in the shorter direction (left) to 130 degrees as we were pulling the thrust levers back to climb power. The #2 egt immediately came back within normal parameters and we determined that the engine did not need to be shut down. The tower controller came back on and said 'I gave you a right turn to 130 degrees!' we apologized and confirmed that she still wanted a right turn to 130 degrees. She did. Departure control told us to call the tower after landing. There was no ATC event that we're aware of. Usually; when a controller gives instructions that differ from what the crew would normally expect to do; the controller emphasizes the difference. (Example -- 'air carrier XXX turn right; right turn; to heading 130 degrees.') she did not do that and it might have helped in this situation. With our distraction; we missed the direction of turn.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW DEPARTING DEN AT MAX GROSS WEIGHT RECEIVES ECAM 'ENG 2 EGT OVER LIMIT' AT THE SAME TIME A HEADING AND TURN DIRECTION ARE GIVEN BY ATC. THE FLT CREW TURNS THE WRONG WAY AND ARE ADMONISHED BY ATC.

Narrative: TKOF IN DEN AT MAX GROSS WT FOR THE CONDITIONS; REQUIRING TOGA; FLAPS 1+F AND APU BLEED ON. WE WERE ONLY LEGAL FOR RWY 25 WHICH GOES AGAINST DEN TWR PROCS FOR OUR PLAIN4 DEP. WHEN CLRED FOR TKOF; THE TWR CTLR TOLD US TO FLY A NON-STANDARD 245 DEG HDG AND THAT SHE NEEDED AN EXPEDITED CLB THROUGH 8000 FT FOR ARR TFC. WE ADVISED HER THAT WE WERE AT MAX GROSS WT AND THAT WE WOULD GIVE HER THE BEST CLB THAT WE COULD. JUST AFTER TKOF SHE RPTED RADAR CONTACT AND TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 130 DEGS. LITERALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH HER 130 DEG TURN RADIO CALL WE HAD AN ACFT ECAM WARNING -- 'ENG 2 EGT OVER LIMIT.' THAT ECAM HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ENG SHUTDOWN. NEEDLESS TO SAY; WE WERE DISTR. THE FO (PF) STARTED A TURN IN THE SHORTER DIRECTION (L) TO 130 DEGS AS WE WERE PULLING THE THRUST LEVERS BACK TO CLB PWR. THE #2 EGT IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS AND WE DETERMINED THAT THE ENG DID NOT NEED TO BE SHUT DOWN. THE TWR CTLR CAME BACK ON AND SAID 'I GAVE YOU A R TURN TO 130 DEGS!' WE APOLOGIZED AND CONFIRMED THAT SHE STILL WANTED A R TURN TO 130 DEGS. SHE DID. DEP CTL TOLD US TO CALL THE TWR AFTER LNDG. THERE WAS NO ATC EVENT THAT WE'RE AWARE OF. USUALLY; WHEN A CTLR GIVES INSTRUCTIONS THAT DIFFER FROM WHAT THE CREW WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT TO DO; THE CTLR EMPHASIZES THE DIFFERENCE. (EXAMPLE -- 'ACR XXX TURN R; R TURN; TO HDG 130 DEGS.') SHE DID NOT DO THAT AND IT MIGHT HAVE HELPED IN THIS SITUATION. WITH OUR DISTR; WE MISSED THE DIRECTION OF TURN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.