A private pilot with an instructor reported a NMAC with an aircraft entering the pattern at SLE when the private pilot turned right on initial climb instead of left as instructed.
Synopsis
A private pilot with an instructor reported a NMAC with an aircraft entering the pattern at SLE when the private pilot turned right on initial climb instead of left as instructed.
Narrative
I was getting transition training in [aircraft X] out of SLE with instructor. I had 1.5 hours of flight in this airplane. Prior to getting takeoff clearance I verbalized that I expect right downwind departure and a plan when I'm going to reduce manifold pressure and RPM. When I requested departure clearance with tower I was cleared for left downwind departure. I made a mental note that it's left and not right how I expected and made sure to read it back. After takeoff and a climb to about 500' AGL I began reducing manifold pressure. Changing engine RPM took longer than I expected and I was still fiddling with prop setting when we crossed 700' AGL and my instructor asked if this is a good time for a crosswind turn. I confirmed that it's time for a turn and almost immediately began turn to the right.Half way through the turn we got alarm about traffic 12 o'clock and a second later saw another airplane 10-11 o'clock flying slightly higher but pretty close. I lowered the nose and continued my turn. Another airplane turned to the right and we flew past each other. Controller had a very brief and professional exchange with both of us verifying that I should have been on left downwind and not right; where incoming traffic was cleared to enter the pattern. I acknowledged my mistake.The rest of the flight was uneventful. Contributing factors were - unfamiliar airplane and probably verbalizing departure clearance and then actually getting a different one. Solution to a power setting is pretty simple. I'll make sure to adjust power when it's 'practical'; per POH and it doesn't impact safety. Additionally it got much faster with a little practice. For the departure clearance I should treat it as any other clearance - for me it is to write it down on a knee pad and include a large arrow for the departure path.
Second reporter narrative
I was departing SLE in a flying club [aircraft X]; providing transition training to another club member. We had preflighted; and then briefed a VFR departure to the south to another airport 20 miles away for pattern work.Ground instructed us to taxi to runway 34 for departure. The club member performed a complete run-up following the checklist. The final checklist item was a departure briefing; during which the club member said 'I think they'll probably give us a right downwind departure'. I thought a left downwind departure was more likely; but didn't say anything. Departures on left downwind are more common; however right downwind is normal and ATC regularly assigns it too.Tower cleared us for takeoff from runway 34 with the instruction to 'make a left downwind departure'. The club member repeated the instruction correctly; and started the takeoff. We started climbing out as usual; remaining over the runway. During the climbout and on the departure leg at about 900MSL; the club member began struggling to set power (MP and RPM) to the correct climbout settings.I was distracted by trying to monitor and assist the club member in setting the power correctly. At about 1100MSL the club member realized that we had climbed past our usual turn altitude of 900MSL (300' below pattern altitude). He immediately began a turn to the right. Because of my focus on the power settings; I was slow to react to his action. I also second-guessed my own memory of the turn instruction for a moment.At the same time; [aircraft Y] was inbound from the north and had been instructed to enter right downwind 34. They were descending straight towards us from our nine o'clock direction and perhaps 500' above us. We got a traffic alert from our ADS/B system. [Aircraft Y] turned to the right to avoid us; and we continued our right turn to avoid them. I don't know how close we were; but I estimate 1000' horizontally and 300' vertically.The pilot of [aircraft Y] informed ATC that they had to maneuver to avoid us. Tower copied; then emphatically told us that we had turned the wrong way and almost caused a collision. The club member flying apologized profusely on frequency. Tower didn't give us any further instructions; they didn't issue a formal pilot deviation warning; and they didn't ask us to call them later. Our club is based at the airport and we have regular communication with the Tower.The remainder of the flight was uneventful; including returning to SLE. The same controller was working Tower when we landed but didn't make any further comment to us about the incident. I debriefed extensively with the club member after the flight. We talked through the incident; and reviewed separation; ATC instructions; collision avoidance; distractions and visual scanning. He told me that he was so focused on the power settings that when he realized it was time to turn he 'just turned' without thinking. Expectation bias from the departure briefing may have influenced his decision to turn right; although he didn't recall his comment from the briefing. As a CFI giving instruction; I assume more responsibility than the club member. The main issue for me was not having ATC's instructions clearly in my own mind; which delayed my own response. That was partly distraction due to the power setting issue; and partly because I hadn't written down Tower's instructions. I always write down taxi instructions but typically not takeoff instructions. I discussed that point with the club member and we agreed that we will always write down takeoff instructions in future. The act of noting something down helps to anchor it in my memory; and would also have let me simply glance down to confirm the turn direction.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.