A B738 crew, departing lga via a 'SID,' turned the wrong way, spawning a vector from ATC.

Attributes
ACN	561411
Time
Date	200209
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : lga 9
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17700 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	561411
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	561412
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lga 9 whitestone climb, deviation from SID occurred at 2.5 DME which required a left turn to heading 040 degrees, but we turned right. As we reduced heading (approximately) +/-260 degrees, ZNY advised that we initiate a left turn to heading of 290 degrees. No TA conflict was declared by ZNY, and controller did not appear to be alarmed and provided very courteous correction to this error. No excuse is offered other than a clear misreading of the turn requirement for this SID. (Lesson learned.) we spoke with mr X, a nyc TRACON supervisor, about the circumstances and he was very gracious toward the mistake, explaining the potential conflict with jfk departures. Mr X indicated that our deviation 'fortunately was caught in time to avoid a conflict' and stated that a violation was avoided. Supplemental information from acn 561412: 2.5 DME turned right, departure instructed us to turn left to 290 degrees. This was done, no TCASII warnings appeared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B738 CREW, DEPARTING LGA VIA A 'SID,' TURNED THE WRONG WAY, SPAWNING A VECTOR FROM ATC.

Narrative: LGA 9 WHITESTONE CLB, DEV FROM SID OCCURRED AT 2.5 DME WHICH REQUIRED A L TURN TO HEADING 040 DEGS, BUT WE TURNED R. AS WE REDUCED HEADING (APPROX) +/-260 DEGS, ZNY ADVISED THAT WE INITIATE A L TURN TO HEADING OF 290 DEGS. NO TA CONFLICT WAS DECLARED BY ZNY, AND CTLR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ALARMED AND PROVIDED VERY COURTEOUS CORRECTION TO THIS ERROR. NO EXCUSE IS OFFERED OTHER THAN A CLR MISREADING OF THE TURN REQUIREMENT FOR THIS SID. (LESSON LEARNED.) WE SPOKE WITH MR X, A NYC TRACON SUPVR, ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND HE WAS VERY GRACIOUS TOWARD THE MISTAKE, EXPLAINING THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH JFK DEPS. MR X INDICATED THAT OUR DEV 'FORTUNATELY WAS CAUGHT IN TIME TO AVOID A CONFLICT' AND STATED THAT A VIOLATION WAS AVOIDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 561412: 2.5 DME TURNED R, DEP INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L TO 290 DEGS. THIS WAS DONE, NO TCASII WARNINGS APPEARED.

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.