INSTRUCTOR APPLICANT DURING THE PRACTICAL TEST IN A CESSNA 172RG MISINTERPRETED AMENDED DEP CLRNC RESULTING IN TURNING TO THE WRONG HEADING AND FAILING THE CFI PRACTICAL TEST.

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CFI PRACTICAL EXAMINATION. THE PLT RECEIVED CLRNC FROM ATC TO DEPART RWY 5. DURING THE CLB; THE CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PLT TO TURN R HEADING 100 DEGS AND CLB TO 2500 FT. THE PLT TURNED TO A 100 DEG HDG AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO 2500 FT. BEFORE REACHING THE ASSIGNED ALT; THE PLT WAS ISSUED FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS BY THE DEP CTLR. THE PLT REPEATED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND INITIATED A R TURN ENRTE TO THE PRACTICE AREA LOCATED APPROX 10 NM TO THE SW. SINCE THE CTLR FAILED TO CORRECT THE PLT'S READBACK OF THE INSTRUCTIONS; THE PLT ASSUMED THAT THE READBACK HAD BEEN CORRECT. HOWEVER; THE FAA EXAMINER REQUESTED A REPEAT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE CTLR. DUE TO PREOCCUPATION WITH THE CLB PHASE OF THE FLT; THE PLT FAILED TO HEAR THE SECOND ISSUANCE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. THE EXAMINER PROCEEDED TO GRAB THE CTLS FROM THE PLT AND TURNED THE ACFT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL 100 DEG HDG. THE EXAMINER REQUESTED A RETURN BACK TO THE ARPT FOR LNDG. AFTER THE CTLR CONFIRMED THE EXAMINER'S REQUEST; CTL OF THE ACFT WAS RELINQUISHED BACK TO THE PLT. THE PLT WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 5. THE FLT ENDED APPROX AROUND XA00 LCL TIME. AFTER THE EXAMINER ISSUED A NOTICE OF DISAPPROVAL AND THE TEST WAS CONCLUDED; THE PLT CONTACTED THE SUPVR OF THE CTLING FACILITY. REQUEST WAS MADE TO CONFIRM THE MISINTERP OF THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE SUPVR LISTENED TO THE RECORDING OF THE PRECEDING EVENTS AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PLT HAD MISINTERPRETED THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE SUPVR STATED THAT THE RESPONSIBLE CTLR HAD REALIZED THE PLT HAD MISINTERPRETED THE ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS. SOME OF THE FACTORS LEADING TO THESE EVENTS MAY POSSIBLY INCLUDE THE HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS IMPOSED UPON THE CFI APPLICANT DURING THE PRACTICAL EXAMINATION. THE STRESS LEVELS ARE COMPOUNDED BY THE HVY WORKLOAD DURING THE INITIAL CLB PHASE. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR A SINGLE PLT TO HEAR; INTERPRET; AND READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY ATC DURING SUCH PHASES OF FLT.