Narrative:

I was cleared to oakland direct from uki via eni direct sts direct oak. Wind favored departure on runway 15. It was above 10 KTS. There were scattered, broken and overcast layers from about 2000' AGL on up. I departed runway 15 (for which there is no departure procedure published). I was not given departure instructions, so I assumed them to be ones I remembered receiving a month or so ago, 'fly 140 degree to 4000' then direct eni to 6000''. These are also the missed approach instructions for the localizer DME 15 approach. Oakland center was surprised that I wasn't on a 350 degree heading (for runway 33 only) before going direct eni. I later read the instructions in front of the nos approach plates and found that the instructions were 350 degrees to 4000', then direct eni to 6000'. Maybe my memory wasn't good that day as I was exhausted and had a headache despite lots of sleep and food. I'm still not sure whether it means you can't depart from runway 15 IFR because the procedure is not authority/authorized for that runway, or you have to make up your own as in many uncontrolled fields. I am going to find this out. The wording is ambiguous. But still my departure clearance (flight service knew I was departing runway 15) was ambiguous in light of the published instructions versus the fact that I did not think it was particularly safe to depart runway 33, versus the fact that I didn't have any instructions in the clearance, except direct eni. I also encountered downdrafts for the first 3 or 4 mins of climb which made center nervous, but they were helpful. I will be very demanding of both myself and ATC regarding departure instructions now!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEVIATION ON DEP.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO OAKLAND DIRECT FROM UKI VIA ENI DIRECT STS DIRECT OAK. WIND FAVORED DEP ON RWY 15. IT WAS ABOVE 10 KTS. THERE WERE SCATTERED, BROKEN AND OVCST LAYERS FROM ABOUT 2000' AGL ON UP. I DEPARTED RWY 15 (FOR WHICH THERE IS NO DEP PROC PUBLISHED). I WAS NOT GIVEN DEP INSTRUCTIONS, SO I ASSUMED THEM TO BE ONES I REMEMBERED RECEIVING A MONTH OR SO AGO, 'FLY 140 DEG TO 4000' THEN DIRECT ENI TO 6000''. THESE ARE ALSO THE MISSED APCH INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LOC DME 15 APCH. OAKLAND CTR WAS SURPRISED THAT I WASN'T ON A 350 DEG HDG (FOR RWY 33 ONLY) BEFORE GOING DIRECT ENI. I LATER READ THE INSTRUCTIONS IN FRONT OF THE NOS APCH PLATES AND FOUND THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE 350 DEGS TO 4000', THEN DIRECT ENI TO 6000'. MAYBE MY MEMORY WASN'T GOOD THAT DAY AS I WAS EXHAUSTED AND HAD A HEADACHE DESPITE LOTS OF SLEEP AND FOOD. I'M STILL NOT SURE WHETHER IT MEANS YOU CAN'T DEPART FROM RWY 15 IFR BECAUSE THE PROC IS NOT AUTH FOR THAT RWY, OR YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP YOUR OWN AS IN MANY UNCTLED FIELDS. I AM GOING TO FIND THIS OUT. THE WORDING IS AMBIGUOUS. BUT STILL MY DEP CLRNC (FLT SVC KNEW I WAS DEPARTING RWY 15) WAS AMBIGUOUS IN LIGHT OF THE PUBLISHED INSTRUCTIONS VERSUS THE FACT THAT I DID NOT THINK IT WAS PARTICULARLY SAFE TO DEPART RWY 33, VERSUS THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS IN THE CLRNC, EXCEPT DIRECT ENI. I ALSO ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS FOR THE FIRST 3 OR 4 MINS OF CLB WHICH MADE CTR NERVOUS, BUT THEY WERE HELPFUL. I WILL BE VERY DEMANDING OF BOTH MYSELF AND ATC REGARDING DEP INSTRUCTIONS NOW!

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