Small aircraft pilot turns wrong direction due to controller not specifying direction.

Attributes
ACN	204447
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 36
ASRS Report	204447
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received IFR clearance to turn right 270 degrees after takeoff. Prior to turn and after liftoff, approach control told me to 'turn 330 heading' without a specific direction. I elected to turn left to 330 heading since a specific instruction to turn right was not specified. Controller questioned my action. Received no other request to call tower, etc after I advised him that his order to turn 330 heading overruled previous clearance to turn right 270 degrees.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT TURNS WRONG DIRECTION DUE TO CTLR NOT SPECIFYING DIRECTION.

Narrative: RECEIVED IFR CLRNC TO TURN R 270 DEGS AFTER TKOF. PRIOR TO TURN AND AFTER LIFTOFF, APCH CTL TOLD ME TO 'TURN 330 HDG' WITHOUT A SPECIFIC DIRECTION. I ELECTED TO TURN L TO 330 HDG SINCE A SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION TO TURN R WAS NOT SPECIFIED. CTLR QUESTIONED MY ACTION. RECEIVED NO OTHER REQUEST TO CALL TWR, ETC AFTER I ADVISED HIM THAT HIS ORDER TO TURN 330 HDG OVERRULED PREVIOUS CLRNC TO TURN R 270 DEGS.

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.