Pilot turned wrong way and entered restricted area R2916.

Attributes
ACN	143770
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nqx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 45 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	143770
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

15 mins east of my takeoff I was intending to establish visual contact with marathon airport, then turn to a heading of 358 degree and fly up the west coast of florida. I was aware of the restr zone R-2916 (and could see the balloons) when departure control called me, asked for a squawk identify and instructed me to turn right. I replied that I had the radar 'balloons on my right'. Departure control repeated 'turn right immediately'. That's when I made a 90 degree turn to the left (north) and entered R-2916. Departure control then said I was to turn right! Which I finally did. My confusion over right/left was a result of the situation I was in. I felt tension with the thought of those cables going from the ground to 10000' only 3 mi to my left. When departure control started asking me about my position in relation to them (the balloons), I thought they wanted me to avoid the area by flying north of it. So I turned toward the balloons but at no time was I any closer than a 2 or 3 mi spread.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TURNED WRONG WAY AND ENTERED RESTRICTED AREA R2916.

Narrative: 15 MINS E OF MY TKOF I WAS INTENDING TO ESTABLISH VISUAL CONTACT WITH MARATHON ARPT, THEN TURN TO A HDG OF 358 DEG AND FLY UP THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA. I WAS AWARE OF THE RESTR ZONE R-2916 (AND COULD SEE THE BALLOONS) WHEN DEP CTL CALLED ME, ASKED FOR A SQUAWK IDENT AND INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN RIGHT. I REPLIED THAT I HAD THE RADAR 'BALLOONS ON MY RIGHT'. DEP CTL REPEATED 'TURN RIGHT IMMEDIATELY'. THAT'S WHEN I MADE A 90 DEG TURN TO THE LEFT (N) AND ENTERED R-2916. DEP CTL THEN SAID I WAS TO TURN RIGHT! WHICH I FINALLY DID. MY CONFUSION OVER RIGHT/LEFT WAS A RESULT OF THE SITUATION I WAS IN. I FELT TENSION WITH THE THOUGHT OF THOSE CABLES GOING FROM THE GND TO 10000' ONLY 3 MI TO MY LEFT. WHEN DEP CTL STARTED ASKING ME ABOUT MY POSITION IN RELATION TO THEM (THE BALLOONS), I THOUGHT THEY WANTED ME TO AVOID THE AREA BY FLYING N OF IT. SO I TURNED TOWARD THE BALLOONS BUT AT NO TIME WAS I ANY CLOSER THAN A 2 OR 3 MI SPREAD.

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.