Operational non-compliance involving a Boeing 747-400, N182UA, Sydney, New South Wales, on 8 November 1994

The aircraft was departing runway 16R at Sydney on a Radar 5 departure, with a clearance instruction to turn right heading 170 degrees after take-off. On becoming airborne, the aircraft was observed to turn left onto a heading of about 125 degrees. The pilot was asked to confirm heading to which he replied, "170". The aircraft was subsequently seen to turn right, onto the correct heading.

The take-off had been flown by the first officer, with the pilot-in-command providing support functions. The pilot-in-command was resetting an incorrect radio frequency selection as the aircraft made its initial climb and initially failed to notice that the aircraft was turning left instead of right. At the time ATC contacted the aircraft the pilot-in-command was instructing the handling pilot to turn right, to comply with the clearance. There was no conflicting traffic at the time of the occurrence.