Narrative:

On jul/xa/99, my first officer and I were repositioning sabreliner nxx from teterboro, nj, to newark, nj. The first officer was flying from the left seat and I was operating the radios and navigation. We departed teterboro at XA28 with an IFR tower to tower clearance. After takeoff we were to maintain runway heading 240 degrees and climb to 3000 ft. At 1000 ft MSL we contacted approach control. He instructed us to turn right to heading 210 degrees, the first officer promptly turned left (the shortest way from 240 degrees to 210 degrees). I told the first officer that was supposed to be a right turn. The controller said to us that was supposed to be a right turn. I asked him if he wanted us to do a 360 degree turn to the right. He said make a 360 degree to the right and maintain your present altitude. I read it back to him. After completion of the turn we were cleared to 3000 ft and told to report newark in sight, we did, and landed at newark at XA35. I believe that if a controller is going to turn an aircraft the long way around that statement should be put in the clearance. Example: (turn right, the long way around, to 210 degrees).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON A 240 DEG HDG ACFT WAS ISSUED A 330 DEG R TURN TO A 210 DEG HDG. PF MISUNDERSTANDS AND TURNS L CAUSING POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT AND THREATENED VIOLATION AS WELL AS A NEW 360 DEG R TURN.

Narrative: ON JUL/XA/99, MY FO AND I WERE REPOSITIONING SABRELINER NXX FROM TETERBORO, NJ, TO NEWARK, NJ. THE FO WAS FLYING FROM THE L SEAT AND I WAS OPERATING THE RADIOS AND NAV. WE DEPARTED TETERBORO AT XA28 WITH AN IFR TWR TO TWR CLRNC. AFTER TKOF WE WERE TO MAINTAIN RWY HEADING 240 DEGS AND CLB TO 3000 FT. AT 1000 FT MSL WE CONTACTED APCH CTL. HE INSTRUCTED US TO TURN R TO HEADING 210 DEGS, THE FO PROMPTLY TURNED L (THE SHORTEST WAY FROM 240 DEGS TO 210 DEGS). I TOLD THE FO THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A R TURN. THE CTLR SAID TO US THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A R TURN. I ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED US TO DO A 360 DEG TURN TO THE R. HE SAID MAKE A 360 DEG TO THE R AND MAINTAIN YOUR PRESENT ALT. I READ IT BACK TO HIM. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TURN WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT AND TOLD TO RPT NEWARK IN SIGHT, WE DID, AND LANDED AT NEWARK AT XA35. I BELIEVE THAT IF A CTLR IS GOING TO TURN AN ACFT THE LONG WAY AROUND THAT STATEMENT SHOULD BE PUT IN THE CLRNC. EXAMPLE: (TURN R, THE LONG WAY AROUND, TO 210 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.