Narrative:

We were flying flight from dca to dfw, holding at the above fix due to heavy thunderstorms at dfw. Showers were encroaching on the holding fix and communication was becoming difficult due to precipitation static. ZFW was attempting to call us just prior to our turning back outbound in the holding pattern. I don't know how many times center had called, but as we began our turn out we caught part of a clearance to turn to a 270 degree heading. As we were passing 225-230 degrees, the first officer just continued the turn to 270 degree. At that point we realized we weren't sure exactly what the controller had said. I thought the controller had said 'turn west, heading 270 degree.' the first officer thought it was 'turn left, heading 270 degree.' turning left made no sense since we were already past 220 degree in a right turn when we heard the clearance, and, turning left would have put us back in the WX. The confusion was dispelled when the controller called again, saying the clearance had been turn left heading 270 degree. This was to avoid traffic climbing out of dfw. We were given another turn to the east to avoid traffic which we immediately did. In retrospect, I can't remember if I had answered the original clearance correctly or not. However, given the static on the radio and the WX conditions, if I did hear it correctly my mind refused to believe it because it didn't seem to make sense.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEV FROM DIRECTION OF TURN RESULTS IN CONFLICT WITH DEPARTING ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING FLT FROM DCA TO DFW, HOLDING AT THE ABOVE FIX DUE TO HVY TSTMS AT DFW. SHOWERS WERE ENCROACHING ON THE HOLDING FIX AND COM WAS BECOMING DIFFICULT DUE TO PRECIPITATION STATIC. ZFW WAS ATTEMPTING TO CALL US JUST PRIOR TO OUR TURNING BACK OUTBOUND IN THE HOLDING PATTERN. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES CENTER HAD CALLED, BUT AS WE BEGAN OUR TURN OUT WE CAUGHT PART OF A CLRNC TO TURN TO A 270 DEG HDG. AS WE WERE PASSING 225-230 DEGS, THE FO JUST CONTINUED THE TURN TO 270 DEG. AT THAT POINT WE REALIZED WE WEREN'T SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE CTLR HAD SAID. I THOUGHT THE CTLR HAD SAID 'TURN W, HDG 270 DEG.' THE FO THOUGHT IT WAS 'TURN L, HDG 270 DEG.' TURNING L MADE NO SENSE SINCE WE WERE ALREADY PAST 220 DEG IN A R TURN WHEN WE HEARD THE CLRNC, AND, TURNING L WOULD HAVE PUT US BACK IN THE WX. THE CONFUSION WAS DISPELLED WHEN THE CTLR CALLED AGAIN, SAYING THE CLRNC HAD BEEN TURN L HDG 270 DEG. THIS WAS TO AVOID TFC CLBING OUT OF DFW. WE WERE GIVEN ANOTHER TURN TO THE E TO AVOID TFC WHICH WE IMMEDIATELY DID. IN RETROSPECT, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I HAD ANSWERED THE ORIGINAL CLRNC CORRECTLY OR NOT. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE STATIC ON THE RADIO AND THE WX CONDITIONS, IF I DID HEAR IT CORRECTLY MY MIND REFUSED TO BELIEVE IT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE.

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.