DC10 crew was told to turn left when the controller meant right in D21 class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	476800
Time
Date	200006
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dxo.vor
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d21.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 30F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	476800
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were assigned a heading of 240 degrees to be flown after takeoff. Upon being assigned to departure control, we were instructed to turn left to 320 degrees (the long way around). We twice queried the controller to insure a left turn to 320 degrees was desired. The answer was affirmative. The controller shortly thereafter informed us that we were in a left turn and to turn right to 320 degrees, and stop our climb at 5000 ft due to a traffic conflict (we were climbing to 10000 ft as per the SID). We told the controller that we had asked twice about the direction of the turn. We were reclred to 10000 ft and proceeded normally shortly thereafter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 CREW WAS TOLD TO TURN L WHEN THE CTLR MEANT R IN D21 CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG OF 240 DEGS TO BE FLOWN AFTER TKOF. UPON BEING ASSIGNED TO DEP CTL, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN L TO 320 DEGS (THE LONG WAY AROUND). WE TWICE QUERIED THE CTLR TO INSURE A L TURN TO 320 DEGS WAS DESIRED. THE ANSWER WAS AFFIRMATIVE. THE CTLR SHORTLY THEREAFTER INFORMED US THAT WE WERE IN A L TURN AND TO TURN R TO 320 DEGS, AND STOP OUR CLB AT 5000 FT DUE TO A TFC CONFLICT (WE WERE CLBING TO 10000 FT AS PER THE SID). WE TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE HAD ASKED TWICE ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE TURN. WE WERE RECLRED TO 10000 FT AND PROCEEDED NORMALLY SHORTLY THEREAFTER.

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.