Narrative:

Recent captain upgrade in left seat, 1 yr first officer in right seat (several yrs with commuter). Day VFR, briefed departure procedures carefully. Ewr has precise turns to avoid noise pollution. First officer's leg to msp. Takeoff on runway 22R was normal. Switched to departure control as we started left turn to 190 degrees, climbing to 2500 ft. (2500 ft assigned by ground control prior to takeoff.) upon check-in with departure, I heard this clearance 'turn left to 360 degrees.' I read it back, wondering about a left turn at ewr, and thinking I should ask if 'left' was correct. The controller restated clearance, to turn left to (now) 320 degrees. First officer confirmed he heard left to 320 degrees. I read it back, still wondering about the direction of turn. Before I could ask the obvious 'are you sure about left turn?' I was cleared to climb to 10000 ft. I read back the clearance to 10000 ft (habit) and set altitude alerter, verifying the altitude with the first officer. Suddenly, the controller ordered an immediate 'stop climb, turn right to 270 degrees.' I read it back to him and we complied. He assigned 3000 ft, a further turn to 320 degrees, and advised that a left turn off runway 22 at ewr was never a good idea. I iterated that I had read back 'left' twice, and that my first officer had heard it as well. He said he had not heard the word 'left.' no more was said, and we proceeded to msp. Habits are good -- when they're standardized, but I'm still a new captain, and I've been to ewr many times over the yrs. I should have questioned turn instantly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION AS TO THE DIRECTION OF ASSIGNED TURN DURING DEP FROM EWR, NJ.

Narrative: RECENT CAPT UPGRADE IN L SEAT, 1 YR FO IN R SEAT (SEVERAL YRS WITH COMMUTER). DAY VFR, BRIEFED DEP PROCS CAREFULLY. EWR HAS PRECISE TURNS TO AVOID NOISE POLLUTION. FO'S LEG TO MSP. TKOF ON RWY 22R WAS NORMAL. SWITCHED TO DEP CTL AS WE STARTED L TURN TO 190 DEGS, CLBING TO 2500 FT. (2500 FT ASSIGNED BY GND CTL PRIOR TO TKOF.) UPON CHK-IN WITH DEP, I HEARD THIS CLRNC 'TURN L TO 360 DEGS.' I READ IT BACK, WONDERING ABOUT A L TURN AT EWR, AND THINKING I SHOULD ASK IF 'L' WAS CORRECT. THE CTLR RESTATED CLRNC, TO TURN L TO (NOW) 320 DEGS. FO CONFIRMED HE HEARD L TO 320 DEGS. I READ IT BACK, STILL WONDERING ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF TURN. BEFORE I COULD ASK THE OBVIOUS 'ARE YOU SURE ABOUT L TURN?' I WAS CLRED TO CLB TO 10000 FT. I READ BACK THE CLRNC TO 10000 FT (HABIT) AND SET ALT ALERTER, VERIFYING THE ALT WITH THE FO. SUDDENLY, THE CTLR ORDERED AN IMMEDIATE 'STOP CLB, TURN R TO 270 DEGS.' I READ IT BACK TO HIM AND WE COMPLIED. HE ASSIGNED 3000 FT, A FURTHER TURN TO 320 DEGS, AND ADVISED THAT A L TURN OFF RWY 22 AT EWR WAS NEVER A GOOD IDEA. I ITERATED THAT I HAD READ BACK 'L' TWICE, AND THAT MY FO HAD HEARD IT AS WELL. HE SAID HE HAD NOT HEARD THE WORD 'L.' NO MORE WAS SAID, AND WE PROCEEDED TO MSP. HABITS ARE GOOD -- WHEN THEY'RE STANDARDIZED, BUT I'M STILL A NEW CAPT, AND I'VE BEEN TO EWR MANY TIMES OVER THE YRS. I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED TURN INSTANTLY.

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.