Narrative:

Medium large transport X route of flight dtw vwv rod J39 iiu...etc, climbing to FL310, requesting FL350. (I was controling the ffo sector, which is stratified at FL330 and above.) medium large transport Y en route to mdw via ./. Hvq rod gsh cgt mdw at FL350. Medium large transport Y was required to descend to FL310 via agreement with ZAU. Since the aircraft were mutual traffic, I planned to swap altitudes between the 2 (ie, descend medium large transport Y to FL310, and climb medium large transport X to FL350.) if a vector became necessary, an approximate right turn to a heading of 220 degrees (issued to medium large transport X) would be sufficient to keep medium large transport X 10-15 mi in front of medium large transport X. The climb clearance was issued to medium large transport X. The descent clearance was issued to medium large transport Y. I realized that standard sep would soon be lost, so a vector was issued to medium large transport X, but instead of a 20 degree right turn, I mistakenly turned medium large transport X 20 degrees left, thereby reducing considerably the distance to point of confliction. Additional turns were issued to both aircraft, but sep was not maintained. It was an unfortunate clearance that I failed to correct in time. It is the first time I had confused left and right, and I feel confident that I will not repeat it. Supplemental information from acn 100563: while climbing from FL310 to FL350, we were tracking direct to rvd VOR on a heading of 205 degrees. ATC gave us a heading change for traffic of 20 degrees left. My acknowledgement was, 'medium large transport X, left turn 20 degrees, new heading 185 degrees.' while steady ATC said, 'turn right to 220 degrees.' at the same time center was giving descent instructions to an medium large transport Y airlines aircraft. Shortly thereafter we were asked what our heading was. I said, 'medium large transport K is heading 220 degrees as assigned.' the controller sounded upset and made some comment and then told us to fly a 220 degree heading, which we were. He said there may be a heading deviation and to call center during business hours. This occurred at rod VOR at approximately XA54Z. There was a point when the controller stopped using my prefix 'company.' the next morning our ATC coordinator in lax called and found out that the controller meant to say 'turn to 120 degree heading.' we followed what he said, it is incumbent upon all of us to take our time and use the most precise terminology as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED ARTCC CTLR CONFUSED HIS RIGHT WITH HIS LEFT AND TURNED A CLIMBING MLG INTO HIS TRAFFIC. A DESCENDING MLG. RESULT WAS LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: MLG X ROUTE OF FLT DTW VWV ROD J39 IIU...ETC, CLBING TO FL310, REQUESTING FL350. (I WAS CTLING THE FFO SECTOR, WHICH IS STRATIFIED AT FL330 AND ABOVE.) MLG Y ENRTE TO MDW VIA ./. HVQ ROD GSH CGT MDW AT FL350. MLG Y WAS REQUIRED TO DSND TO FL310 VIA AGREEMENT WITH ZAU. SINCE THE ACFT WERE MUTUAL TFC, I PLANNED TO SWAP ALTS BTWN THE 2 (IE, DSND MLG Y TO FL310, AND CLB MLG X TO FL350.) IF A VECTOR BECAME NECESSARY, AN APPROXIMATE RIGHT TURN TO A HDG OF 220 DEGS (ISSUED TO MLG X) WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO KEEP MLG X 10-15 MI IN FRONT OF MLG X. THE CLB CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO MLG X. THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO MLG Y. I REALIZED THAT STANDARD SEP WOULD SOON BE LOST, SO A VECTOR WAS ISSUED TO MLG X, BUT INSTEAD OF A 20 DEG RIGHT TURN, I MISTAKENLY TURNED MLG X 20 DEGS LEFT, THEREBY REDUCING CONSIDERABLY THE DISTANCE TO POINT OF CONFLICTION. ADDITIONAL TURNS WERE ISSUED TO BOTH ACFT, BUT SEP WAS NOT MAINTAINED. IT WAS AN UNFORTUNATE CLRNC THAT I FAILED TO CORRECT IN TIME. IT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD CONFUSED LEFT AND RIGHT, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT I WILL NOT REPEAT IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 100563: WHILE CLBING FROM FL310 TO FL350, WE WERE TRACKING DIRECT TO RVD VOR ON A HDG OF 205 DEGS. ATC GAVE US A HDG CHANGE FOR TFC OF 20 DEGS LEFT. MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WAS, 'MLG X, LEFT TURN 20 DEGS, NEW HDG 185 DEGS.' WHILE STEADY ATC SAID, 'TURN RIGHT TO 220 DEGS.' AT THE SAME TIME CENTER WAS GIVING DSCNT INSTRUCTIONS TO AN MLG Y AIRLINES ACFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS. I SAID, 'MLG K IS HDG 220 DEGS AS ASSIGNED.' THE CTLR SOUNDED UPSET AND MADE SOME COMMENT AND THEN TOLD US TO FLY A 220 DEG HDG, WHICH WE WERE. HE SAID THERE MAY BE A HDG DEVIATION AND TO CALL CENTER DURING BUSINESS HOURS. THIS OCCURRED AT ROD VOR AT APPROX XA54Z. THERE WAS A POINT WHEN THE CTLR STOPPED USING MY PREFIX 'COMPANY.' THE NEXT MORNING OUR ATC COORDINATOR IN LAX CALLED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE CTLR MEANT TO SAY 'TURN TO 120 DEG HDG.' WE FOLLOWED WHAT HE SAID, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO TAKE OUR TIME AND USE THE MOST PRECISE TERMINOLOGY AS POSSIBLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.