A B733 crew departing mdw, turned right instead of left after departure.

Attributes
ACN	521294
Time
Date	200108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : other published ifr departure
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	521294
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff and we were told to turn right to 220 degrees after takeoff from runway 31C at midway. It seemed strange to me to turn the long way around. We had been given a reroute to the south. So I thought that was the reason for the long turn. So I didn't ask for clarification. At a heading of about 340 degrees, tower asked us where we were going. I told him right to 220 degrees. As I realized, that because he was asking, we should have turned left. The first officer, who was flying, started a left turn to 220 degrees. While all of this was happening tower had cleared an air carrier X flight for takeoff. As soon as he saw that we were going the wrong way, the local controller had air carrier X abort. We were still able to make the procedure in the confines of the SID. And nothing else was said when we were handed off to departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B733 CREW DEPARTING MDW, TURNED R INSTEAD OF L AFTER DEP.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R TO 220 DEGS AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 31C AT MIDWAY. IT SEEMED STRANGE TO ME TO TURN THE LONG WAY AROUND. WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A REROUTE TO THE S. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE LONG TURN. SO I DIDN'T ASK FOR CLARIFICATION. AT A HEADING OF ABOUT 340 DEGS, TWR ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING. I TOLD HIM RIGHT TO 220 DEGS. AS I REALIZED, THAT BECAUSE HE WAS ASKING, WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED L. THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING, STARTED A L TURN TO 220 DEGS. WHILE ALL OF THIS WAS HAPPENING TWR HAD CLRED AN ACR X FLT FOR TKOF. AS SOON AS HE SAW THAT WE WERE GOING THE WRONG WAY, THE LCL CTLR HAD ACR X ABORT. WE WERE STILL ABLE TO MAKE THE PROC IN THE CONFINES OF THE SID. AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID WHEN WE WERE HANDED OFF TO DEP.

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.