Narrative:

First officer copied clearance over headset while I reviewed and entered final data in FMS. My understanding of the clearance was turn after takeoff to a 130 degree heading and expect radar vectors to bilko -- a position due north of the airfield. We departed on runway 17 and I turned 40 degrees to the left. I then received direct to bilko and flight planned route. The actual clearance was a right turn of 320 degrees to a heading of 130 degree heading with vectors to bilko. At cruise level, my first officer told me that the clearance was a right turn to 130 degrees, but that he didn't want to correct me at 500 ft when I turned left. I called the tower to verify the clearance and was informed that they and radar control were aware that I had made the wrong turn. I apologized and asked if any action would be taken and was told there wouldn't be. Alkharj is a military airfield and their procedure is to fly over the air base (right turn). The fault lay in my not personally listening to the clearance and questioning the tower regarding the turn to take. Also, my first officer should have notified me right away when I turned in the wrong direction. Also, radar never called to indicate a wrong turn was made. In the future, I will listen to the clearance and ensure, with the first officer, that it is the correct one.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MD11 TURNS THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF CLRNC AFTER TKOF AND DID NOT LEARN OF IT UNTIL THE FO INFORMED. THE CAPT SUBSEQUENTLY VERIFIED SAME IN TELECON WITH THE TWR SUPVR.

Narrative: FO COPIED CLRNC OVER HEADSET WHILE I REVIEWED AND ENTERED FINAL DATA IN FMS. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLRNC WAS TURN AFTER TKOF TO A 130 DEG HDG AND EXPECT RADAR VECTORS TO BILKO -- A POS DUE N OF THE AIRFIELD. WE DEPARTED ON RWY 17 AND I TURNED 40 DEGS TO THE L. I THEN RECEIVED DIRECT TO BILKO AND FLT PLANNED RTE. THE ACTUAL CLRNC WAS A R TURN OF 320 DEGS TO A HDG OF 130 DEG HDG WITH VECTORS TO BILKO. AT CRUISE LEVEL, MY FO TOLD ME THAT THE CLRNC WAS A R TURN TO 130 DEGS, BUT THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO CORRECT ME AT 500 FT WHEN I TURNED L. I CALLED THE TWR TO VERIFY THE CLRNC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY AND RADAR CTL WERE AWARE THAT I HAD MADE THE WRONG TURN. I APOLOGIZED AND ASKED IF ANY ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AND WAS TOLD THERE WOULDN'T BE. ALKHARJ IS A MIL AIRFIELD AND THEIR PROC IS TO FLY OVER THE AIR BASE (R TURN). THE FAULT LAY IN MY NOT PERSONALLY LISTENING TO THE CLRNC AND QUESTIONING THE TWR REGARDING THE TURN TO TAKE. ALSO, MY FO SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME RIGHT AWAY WHEN I TURNED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. ALSO, RADAR NEVER CALLED TO INDICATE A WRONG TURN WAS MADE. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL LISTEN TO THE CLRNC AND ENSURE, WITH THE FO, THAT IT IS THE CORRECT ONE.

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.