Pilot of small aircraft on training flight deviated from clearance.

Attributes
ACN	126570
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ilg
State Reference	DE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1685 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	126570
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We filed an IFR flight plan for training from wilmington to salisbury, md. A very direct, simple flight. We obtained our departure clearance from wilmington ground which included the following language: 'fly runway heading, direct kenton, victor 29 to salisbury. Climb and maintain two thousand...'. We requested runway 19 for departure and were told that 'runway 27 will suit your purposes.' after we were cleared for takeoff we climbed straight out north a heading of 270 degree from runway 27 until about 1000 AGL and were receiving the kenton VOR. Then, based on the clearance from the ground controller (...runway heading, direct kenton...) we turned left to proceed direct to the kenton VOR on a heading of about 180 degree. Shortly after turning, wilmington tower advised us to contact philadelphia departure, which we did and almost immediately after establishing contact were subjected to very hostile cross-examination about our departure clearance. Proceeding direct to kenton seemed quite reasonable under the circumstances, however, in retrospect, the clearance did not specify at what altitude we should proceed direct to kenton. With the current enforcement atmosphere, this incident has left me with very much of an adversary feeling about the relationship between ATC controllers and pilots, between whom a relationship of teamwork and cooperation must exist for safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON TRAINING FLT DEVIATED FROM CLRNC.

Narrative: WE FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FOR TRAINING FROM WILMINGTON TO SALISBURY, MD. A VERY DIRECT, SIMPLE FLT. WE OBTAINED OUR DEP CLRNC FROM WILMINGTON GND WHICH INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE: 'FLY RWY HDG, DIRECT KENTON, VICTOR 29 TO SALISBURY. CLIMB AND MAINTAIN TWO THOUSAND...'. WE REQUESTED RWY 19 FOR DEP AND WERE TOLD THAT 'RWY 27 WILL SUIT YOUR PURPOSES.' AFTER WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF WE CLIMBED STRAIGHT OUT N A HDG OF 270 DEG FROM RWY 27 UNTIL ABOUT 1000 AGL AND WERE RECEIVING THE KENTON VOR. THEN, BASED ON THE CLRNC FROM THE GND CTLR (...RWY HDG, DIRECT KENTON...) WE TURNED LEFT TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE KENTON VOR ON A HDG OF ABOUT 180 DEG. SHORTLY AFTER TURNING, WILMINGTON TWR ADVISED US TO CONTACT PHILADELPHIA DEP, WHICH WE DID AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER ESTABLISHING CONTACT WERE SUBJECTED TO VERY HOSTILE CROSS-EXAMINATION ABOUT OUR DEP CLRNC. PROCEEDING DIRECT TO KENTON SEEMED QUITE REASONABLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, HOWEVER, IN RETROSPECT, THE CLRNC DID NOT SPECIFY AT WHAT ALT WE SHOULD PROCEED DIRECT TO KENTON. WITH THE CURRENT ENFORCEMENT ATMOSPHERE, THIS INCIDENT HAS LEFT ME WITH VERY MUCH OF AN ADVERSARY FEELING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATC CTLRS AND PLTS, BETWEEN WHOM A RELATIONSHIP OF TEAMWORK AND COOPERATION MUST EXIST FOR SAFETY.

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.