Narrative:

I was the PF and first officer of air carrier X. We took off from miami and the climb was normal. We did receive 2 climb clrncs where the entire altitude clearance was omitted and we had to read a reroute 2 times. We also required a reroute to be read 2 times. I thought the controller was probably aggravated with us. We were cleared direct lal; then the controller said 'fly a 340 degree heading.' we then got direct lal. Traffic was pointed out. We then got 15 degrees right and we looked for the traffic but it was IMC. Somehow south of lal; we made a turn to the left which caused us to conflict with traffic. When I heard the controller say air carrier X 2 times; I started a turn right; as instructed; immediately. I was concerned that I had not gone into heading select and in fact made the 15 degree turn to the right previously instructed. The airbus is bad about pulling or pushing a knob/switch and not getting a response; so I always am careful to check FMA's. But I wondered if this had occurred this time somehow. When I heard 'air carrier X' I immediately turned right to a heading of 350 degrees and we passed southeast of lal. ATC verified we did turn 15 degrees right; so we must have been in heading mode as I thought. I have spent hours talking to the captain; hours wondering what happened and couldn't sleep last night wondering how we made a turn left and I can't explain this. I saw winds of 260 degrees at 56 KTS; which is a direct crosswind in the FL200's and the controller said we had a 100 KT left crosswind. I am perplexed. I can't think of reasons for the left turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF A320 EXPERIENCE TRACK DEV IN ZMA AIRSPACE. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF AND FO OF ACR X. WE TOOK OFF FROM MIAMI AND THE CLB WAS NORMAL. WE DID RECEIVE 2 CLB CLRNCS WHERE THE ENTIRE ALT CLRNC WAS OMITTED AND WE HAD TO READ A REROUTE 2 TIMES. WE ALSO REQUIRED A REROUTE TO BE READ 2 TIMES. I THOUGHT THE CTLR WAS PROBABLY AGGRAVATED WITH US. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT LAL; THEN THE CTLR SAID 'FLY A 340 DEG HDG.' WE THEN GOT DIRECT LAL. TFC WAS POINTED OUT. WE THEN GOT 15 DEGS R AND WE LOOKED FOR THE TFC BUT IT WAS IMC. SOMEHOW S OF LAL; WE MADE A TURN TO THE L WHICH CAUSED US TO CONFLICT WITH TFC. WHEN I HEARD THE CTLR SAY ACR X 2 TIMES; I STARTED A TURN R; AS INSTRUCTED; IMMEDIATELY. I WAS CONCERNED THAT I HAD NOT GONE INTO HDG SELECT AND IN FACT MADE THE 15 DEG TURN TO THE R PREVIOUSLY INSTRUCTED. THE AIRBUS IS BAD ABOUT PULLING OR PUSHING A KNOB/SWITCH AND NOT GETTING A RESPONSE; SO I ALWAYS AM CAREFUL TO CHK FMA'S. BUT I WONDERED IF THIS HAD OCCURRED THIS TIME SOMEHOW. WHEN I HEARD 'ACR X' I IMMEDIATELY TURNED R TO A HDG OF 350 DEGS AND WE PASSED SE OF LAL. ATC VERIFIED WE DID TURN 15 DEGS R; SO WE MUST HAVE BEEN IN HDG MODE AS I THOUGHT. I HAVE SPENT HRS TALKING TO THE CAPT; HRS WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED AND COULDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT WONDERING HOW WE MADE A TURN L AND I CAN'T EXPLAIN THIS. I SAW WINDS OF 260 DEGS AT 56 KTS; WHICH IS A DIRECT XWIND IN THE FL200'S AND THE CTLR SAID WE HAD A 100 KT L XWIND. I AM PERPLEXED. I CAN'T THINK OF REASONS FOR THE L TURN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.