Narrative:

Our flight was issued a pre departure clearance that included the palm springs 4 departure procedure. The procedure for departing runway 13R was a vector, 'heading 110 degrees and expect radar vectors to assigned routing or fix.' in compliance with our SOP, runway heading was maintained, '130 degrees,' until 400 ft AGL before initiation of any turns. At 400 ft AGL after takeoff, a left turn to heading 110 degrees was initiated. At approximately the same time as the turn was being completed, the tower controller stated 'contact departure, start your left turn.' because we were flying our previously issued clearance, we thought the controller meant for us to proceed on course. This would have been a left turn of about 90 degrees from runway heading. Contact with departure control revealed that we had turned toward another aircraft, which then appeared on TCASII. Departure controller then instructed an immediate right turn to 110 degrees. TCASII information and visual contact with the traffic meant that the right turn would have resulted in danger, thus the clearance was not complied with. The controller then verified our heading and asked us to remain present heading. Although TA was received on TCASII, no RA occurred. Pilot shares responsibility with ATC.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ FLC ASSUME TWR ADVISORY TO 'BEGIN L TURN' MEANT TO CLB ON COURSE, CAUSING CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS ISSUED A PDC THAT INCLUDED THE PALM SPRINGS 4 DEP PROC. THE PROC FOR DEPARTING RWY 13R WAS A VECTOR, 'HDG 110 DEGS AND EXPECT RADAR VECTORS TO ASSIGNED ROUTING OR FIX.' IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR SOP, RWY HDG WAS MAINTAINED, '130 DEGS,' UNTIL 400 FT AGL BEFORE INITIATION OF ANY TURNS. AT 400 FT AGL AFTER TKOF, A L TURN TO HDG 110 DEGS WAS INITIATED. AT APPROX THE SAME TIME AS THE TURN WAS BEING COMPLETED, THE TWR CTLR STATED 'CONTACT DEP, START YOUR L TURN.' BECAUSE WE WERE FLYING OUR PREVIOUSLY ISSUED CLRNC, WE THOUGHT THE CTLR MEANT FOR US TO PROCEED ON COURSE. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A L TURN OF ABOUT 90 DEGS FROM RWY HDG. CONTACT WITH DEP CTL REVEALED THAT WE HAD TURNED TOWARD ANOTHER ACFT, WHICH THEN APPEARED ON TCASII. DEP CTLR THEN INSTRUCTED AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO 110 DEGS. TCASII INFO AND VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TFC MEANT THAT THE R TURN WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN DANGER, THUS THE CLRNC WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH. THE CTLR THEN VERIFIED OUR HDG AND ASKED US TO REMAIN PRESENT HDG. ALTHOUGH TA WAS RECEIVED ON TCASII, NO RA OCCURRED. PLT SHARES RESPONSIBILITY WITH ATC.

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.