Aircraft flew heading after takeoff contrary to ATC instructions.

Attributes
ACN	107626
Time
Date	198903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	107626
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I contacted dca tower, was cleared for takeoff and then fly due north. This heading would take us across runway 15. We departed from north helipad and realized that our north heading would have taken us across the flight path of an inbound commuter on short final to runway 15. There was also an large transport on final for runway 18. I felt the sep was less than adequate and compromised ourselves and the other 2 aircraft. I elected to instead fly westerly in the direction of crystal city, which is our normal departure route. This takes us under all other inbound/outbnd traffic--this is the approved procedure. As I informed the controller I was flying wbound instead of north, he berated me for not following his instructions. I said I did not want to cross in front of the traffic (I felt he had made an error and really would not have wanted me to cross in front of the inbound traffic). His reply was that if I had done it immediately, I would have made it. He is correct--I would have made it, but I do not feel there was adequate sep and closure rates were extremely high as we were heading toward each other. I also feel that making it is not the issue here, but safety is--and he compromised (or was willing to compromise) mine and everyone else's that were on board these aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FLEW HEADING AFTER TKOF CONTRARY TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: I CONTACTED DCA TWR, WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND THEN FLY DUE N. THIS HDG WOULD TAKE US ACROSS RWY 15. WE DEPARTED FROM N HELIPAD AND REALIZED THAT OUR N HDG WOULD HAVE TAKEN US ACROSS THE FLT PATH OF AN INBND COMMUTER ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 15. THERE WAS ALSO AN LGT ON FINAL FOR RWY 18. I FELT THE SEP WAS LESS THAN ADEQUATE AND COMPROMISED OURSELVES AND THE OTHER 2 ACFT. I ELECTED TO INSTEAD FLY WESTERLY IN THE DIRECTION OF CRYSTAL CITY, WHICH IS OUR NORMAL DEP ROUTE. THIS TAKES US UNDER ALL OTHER INBND/OUTBND TFC--THIS IS THE APPROVED PROC. AS I INFORMED THE CTLR I WAS FLYING WBOUND INSTEAD OF N, HE BERATED ME FOR NOT FOLLOWING HIS INSTRUCTIONS. I SAID I DID NOT WANT TO CROSS IN FRONT OF THE TFC (I FELT HE HAD MADE AN ERROR AND REALLY WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED ME TO CROSS IN FRONT OF THE INBND TFC). HIS REPLY WAS THAT IF I HAD DONE IT IMMEDIATELY, I WOULD HAVE MADE IT. HE IS CORRECT--I WOULD HAVE MADE IT, BUT I DO NOT FEEL THERE WAS ADEQUATE SEP AND CLOSURE RATES WERE EXTREMELY HIGH AS WE WERE HDG TOWARD EACH OTHER. I ALSO FEEL THAT MAKING IT IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE, BUT SAFETY IS--AND HE COMPROMISED (OR WAS WILLING TO COMPROMISE) MINE AND EVERYONE ELSE'S THAT WERE ON BOARD THESE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.