Captain of an light transport turned the opposite way when taxiing out for takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	294565
Time
Date	199501
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 2900
ASRS Report	294565
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to taxi via txwys north and T to runway 36R. After we got under way, I called for the taxi check. Shortly after it was completed I came to the intersection of txwys T and C. I should have turned right to get to runway 36R but instead, I turned left. For the past week and a half we had taken this route to runway 18L. Even though I had heard and understood the clearance, I by force or habit, turned the wrong way. Shortly after I made the turn, ground said 'make a 180 degree and taxi to runway 36R.' I realized my error and started the turn. At this point, my first officer asked me what was going on. He hadn't seen the wrong turn or even heard ground's transmission to us. I hadn't realized it, but immediately after completion of the taxi check, he had diverted his attention to trying to get the RNAV system to initialize so, he had his head down and wasn't paying attention to ATC xmissions. I am a new captain with 50 hours PIC in the airplane, including the type ride and IOE. I'm still learning how to do the job effectively and how best to exercise my command authority/authorized. Obviously, I didn't do a very good job of it that night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LTT TURNED THE OPPOSITE WAY WHEN TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI VIA TXWYS N AND T TO RWY 36R. AFTER WE GOT UNDER WAY, I CALLED FOR THE TAXI CHK. SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS COMPLETED I CAME TO THE INTXN OF TXWYS T AND C. I SHOULD HAVE TURNED R TO GET TO RWY 36R BUT INSTEAD, I TURNED L. FOR THE PAST WK AND A HALF WE HAD TAKEN THIS RTE TO RWY 18L. EVEN THOUGH I HAD HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC, I BY FORCE OR HABIT, TURNED THE WRONG WAY. SHORTLY AFTER I MADE THE TURN, GND SAID 'MAKE A 180 DEG AND TAXI TO RWY 36R.' I REALIZED MY ERROR AND STARTED THE TURN. AT THIS POINT, MY FO ASKED ME WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE HADN'T SEEN THE WRONG TURN OR EVEN HEARD GND'S XMISSION TO US. I HADN'T REALIZED IT, BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TAXI CHK, HE HAD DIVERTED HIS ATTN TO TRYING TO GET THE RNAV SYS TO INITIALIZE SO, HE HAD HIS HEAD DOWN AND WASN'T PAYING ATTN TO ATC XMISSIONS. I AM A NEW CAPT WITH 50 HRS PIC IN THE AIRPLANE, INCLUDING THE TYPE RIDE AND IOE. I'M STILL LEARNING HOW TO DO THE JOB EFFECTIVELY AND HOW BEST TO EXERCISE MY COMMAND AUTH. OBVIOUSLY, I DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF IT THAT NIGHT.

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.