Pilot of a small aircraft experienced a track deviation on takeoff from smo. After contacting depart...

Attributes
ACN	1007483
Time
Date	201204
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	SMO.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150 Flight Crew Total 13000 Flight Crew Type 300
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Narrative:

Ground gave the following clearance prior to take off: 'cleared direct to sadde; maintain runway heading to the lax 315 radial then turn to a heading of 250 degrees; vectors to V-299. Climb and maintain 3;000 ft; expect 5;000 ft ten minutes after; squawk XXXX; departure XXX.X' I repeated the clearance back and was not corrected (except for a confirmation of the squawk code). I flew directly to sadde and when passing the lax 315 radial; I turned to 250 degrees. In retrospect I realize that the controller didn't really mean to use the word 'direct' sadde but 'cleared' to sadde via runway heading; crossing the lax 315 radial turn to 250 for vectors to V-299.I failed to realize at the time 'runway heading' and 'direct' were contradictory and should have questioned the clearance further. It was only after contacting departure control that I realized the obvious. To the best of my knowledge; no conflict was created as no mention was made by tower or departure. Soon after I contacted departure I was given a vector. I will be more diligent in the future when copying; reading back and making sense of clearances.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Pilot of a small aircraft experienced a track deviation on takeoff from SMO. After contacting Departure Control; Reporter realized that there was a contradictory element in the takeoff clearance which he had missed.

Narrative: Ground gave the following clearance prior to take off: 'Cleared direct to SADDE; maintain runway heading to the LAX 315 radial then turn to a heading of 250 degrees; vectors to V-299. Climb and maintain 3;000 FT; expect 5;000 FT ten minutes after; squawk XXXX; Departure XXX.X' I repeated the clearance back and was not corrected (except for a confirmation of the squawk code). I flew directly to SADDE and when passing the LAX 315 radial; I turned to 250 degrees. In retrospect I realize that the Controller didn't really mean to use the word 'direct' SADDE but 'cleared' to SADDE via runway heading; crossing the LAX 315 radial turn to 250 for vectors to V-299.I failed to realize at the time 'runway heading' and 'direct' were contradictory and should have questioned the clearance further. It was only after contacting Departure Control that I realized the obvious. To the best of my knowledge; no conflict was created as no mention was made by Tower or Departure. Soon after I contacted Departure I was given a vector. I will be more diligent in the future when copying; reading back and making sense of clearances.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Pilot of a small aircraft experienced a track deviation on takeoff from smo. After contacting departure control; reporter realized that there was a contradictory element in the takeoff clearance which he had missed.