Narrative:

Taxiing for takeoff from runway 18 at meigs field, we were cleared for takeoff and told 'turn left heading 140 degrees, cleared for takeoff runway 18, back taxi approved.' I chose to take off with the flight director in heading mode and with the heading bug set to 140 degrees. After takeoff, climbing through 400 ft AGL, I would then turn the aircraft to the set heading. I selected heading mode, set 140 degrees on the heading bug, and taxied onto the runway. I turned left 90 degrees and taxied to the end of the runway then made a left 180 degree turn to line up on the runway. We made a normal takeoff. Climbing through 400 ft AGL, I called for 'flaps up' and I turned the aircraft into the flight director command bars. Approximately 5-10 seconds later, I realized that I had turned right instead of left. I quickly corrected and turned left heading 140 degrees. Evaluating the flight director modes and heading bug to see what was wrong, I found that the flight director was in fact still in heading mode and the heading bug was still set to 140 degrees. However, the command bars were commanding a turn to the right instead of to the left. Apparently, the flight director was 'confused' by our turn around at the end of the runway. Therefore, it was turning in the direction of the desired heading at the time I selected heading mode. Regardless, I failed to recognize that the flight director was turning the wrong way and I instinctively followed it. From now on, when using the flight director during takeoff I will set the bug to runway heading initially, or takeoff in roll mode and select heading mode when ready to turn at 400 ft. Many techniques exist for managing automation in different phases of flight. Unfortunately in cpr aviation, these techniques are rarely very standardized. Obviously, how a pilot interacts with and manages automation in the cockpit is getting a lot of attention these days. We're all learning more all the time. In this case, I obviously was too focused on, and relying too heavily on my flight director. I failed to take in the big picture. My situational awareness was narrowed by my focus on the command bars. I would love to see similar sits arise during my training sessions. I think it would be useful to practice recognizing when the automation makes a mistake. Of course we know that most errors with automation are the result of human error. But we need to learn that if an error occurs, we should be situationally aware enough to immediately recognize it. I know I'll never make this exact same mistake again. I'm now trying to apply this lesson learned to other sits in other phases of flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FA50 CREW TURNED R AFTER DEP INSTEAD OF L AS INSTRUCTED.

Narrative: TAXIING FOR TKOF FROM RWY 18 AT MEIGS FIELD, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND TOLD 'TURN L HDG 140 DEGS, CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 18, BACK TAXI APPROVED.' I CHOSE TO TAKE OFF WITH THE FLT DIRECTOR IN HDG MODE AND WITH THE HDG BUG SET TO 140 DEGS. AFTER TKOF, CLBING THROUGH 400 FT AGL, I WOULD THEN TURN THE ACFT TO THE SET HDG. I SELECTED HDG MODE, SET 140 DEGS ON THE HDG BUG, AND TAXIED ONTO THE RWY. I TURNED L 90 DEGS AND TAXIED TO THE END OF THE RWY THEN MADE A L 180 DEG TURN TO LINE UP ON THE RWY. WE MADE A NORMAL TKOF. CLBING THROUGH 400 FT AGL, I CALLED FOR 'FLAPS UP' AND I TURNED THE ACFT INTO THE FLT DIRECTOR COMMAND BARS. APPROX 5-10 SECONDS LATER, I REALIZED THAT I HAD TURNED R INSTEAD OF L. I QUICKLY CORRECTED AND TURNED L HDG 140 DEGS. EVALUATING THE FLT DIRECTOR MODES AND HDG BUG TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, I FOUND THAT THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS IN FACT STILL IN HDG MODE AND THE HDG BUG WAS STILL SET TO 140 DEGS. HOWEVER, THE COMMAND BARS WERE COMMANDING A TURN TO THE R INSTEAD OF TO THE L. APPARENTLY, THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS 'CONFUSED' BY OUR TURN AROUND AT THE END OF THE RWY. THEREFORE, IT WAS TURNING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DESIRED HDG AT THE TIME I SELECTED HDG MODE. REGARDLESS, I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS TURNING THE WRONG WAY AND I INSTINCTIVELY FOLLOWED IT. FROM NOW ON, WHEN USING THE FLT DIRECTOR DURING TKOF I WILL SET THE BUG TO RWY HDG INITIALLY, OR TKOF IN ROLL MODE AND SELECT HDG MODE WHEN READY TO TURN AT 400 FT. MANY TECHNIQUES EXIST FOR MANAGING AUTOMATION IN DIFFERENT PHASES OF FLT. UNFORTUNATELY IN CPR AVIATION, THESE TECHNIQUES ARE RARELY VERY STANDARDIZED. OBVIOUSLY, HOW A PLT INTERACTS WITH AND MANAGES AUTOMATION IN THE COCKPIT IS GETTING A LOT OF ATTN THESE DAYS. WE'RE ALL LEARNING MORE ALL THE TIME. IN THIS CASE, I OBVIOUSLY WAS TOO FOCUSED ON, AND RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON MY FLT DIRECTOR. I FAILED TO TAKE IN THE BIG PICTURE. MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WAS NARROWED BY MY FOCUS ON THE COMMAND BARS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SIMILAR SITS ARISE DURING MY TRAINING SESSIONS. I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO PRACTICE RECOGNIZING WHEN THE AUTOMATION MAKES A MISTAKE. OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT MOST ERRORS WITH AUTOMATION ARE THE RESULT OF HUMAN ERROR. BUT WE NEED TO LEARN THAT IF AN ERROR OCCURS, WE SHOULD BE SITUATIONALLY AWARE ENOUGH TO IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZE IT. I KNOW I'LL NEVER MAKE THIS EXACT SAME MISTAKE AGAIN. I'M NOW TRYING TO APPLY THIS LESSON LEARNED TO OTHER SITS IN OTHER PHASES OF FLT.

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.