A flight crew misunderstood clearance and started a left turn instead of a right turn.

Attributes
ACN	520670
Time
Date	200108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : geg.tracon
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate 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 : 150 flight time total : 14600
ASRS Report	520670
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On climb out (company procedure) spokane departure gave what we 3 heard as 'passing 1000 ft, cleared direct to drummond.' company procedure calls for a left turn and about 30 degrees into the turn, controller asked to confirm we were going left. She said she'd given us a right turn due to traffic south, but we didn't hear 'right.' I advised her that company procedure directed a left and she stated that she was well aware of the procedure. I don't believe we could have accepted a turn to the north if we had heard her say that.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT CREW MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC AND STARTED A L TURN INSTEAD OF A R TURN.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT (COMPANY PROC) SPOKANE DEP GAVE WHAT WE 3 HEARD AS 'PASSING 1000 FT, CLRED DIRECT TO DRUMMOND.' COMPANY PROC CALLS FOR A L TURN AND ABOUT 30 DEGS INTO THE TURN, CTLR ASKED TO CONFIRM WE WERE GOING L. SHE SAID SHE'D GIVEN US A R TURN DUE TO TFC S, BUT WE DIDN'T HEAR 'R.' I ADVISED HER THAT COMPANY PROC DIRECTED A L AND SHE STATED THAT SHE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE PROC. I DON'T BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE ACCEPTED A TURN TO THE N IF WE HAD HEARD HER SAY THAT.

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.