Narrative:

My departure instructions for leaving santa monica were to maintain runway heading (210) until crossing lax 305 right, then heading 250 degrees vector for ventura VOR, climb to 3000', departure frequency 125.6. Upon reaching about 1000' and entering the stratus layer, I was instructed to change to departure frequency. This was done and the given frequency was that of an ATIS. Tower was contacted, they acknowledged the departure frequency had been wrong, and should have been 125.2. The new frequency was contacted and at the same time I noted my heading was about 180 degree. While my attention was diverted from the heading and attitude indicators, I had inadvertently broke through the top of the cloud layer. I was also informed by the departure controller that he showed me having made a left turn, and why? Some rather garbled communication followed, in which the controller was probably telling me to turn to a heading of 260 degrees, but which I misunderstood to be to a heading of 60 degrees. A twin jet airliner was off to my left, and it was evident to me that I should not turn in that direction. (That plane was perhaps 2 mi away and 500' below me). The controller then directed me to turn west to a heading of 270 degrees, which I did, and that ended the incident. The problem was caused by my inability to maintain my heading when my attention was unexpectedly diverted from the heading and attitude indicators by the necessity to correct the erroneous departure frequency. In order to prevent this from recurring, I plan on several hours of dual instruction with emphasis on maintaining a stable attitude even when my attention is diverted away from my primary instruments, and improving my scan. I do not plan on any 'real' IFR flying until I am satisfied I can do this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TURNS FROM ASSIGNED HEADING AFTER TKOF LAX AND CAUSES A CONFLICT.

Narrative: MY DEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEAVING SANTA MONICA WERE TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG (210) UNTIL XING LAX 305 R, THEN HDG 250 DEGS VECTOR FOR VENTURA VOR, CLB TO 3000', DEP FREQ 125.6. UPON REACHING ABOUT 1000' AND ENTERING THE STRATUS LAYER, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE TO DEP FREQ. THIS WAS DONE AND THE GIVEN FREQ WAS THAT OF AN ATIS. TWR WAS CONTACTED, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEP FREQ HAD BEEN WRONG, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN 125.2. THE NEW FREQ WAS CONTACTED AND AT THE SAME TIME I NOTED MY HDG WAS ABOUT 180 DEG. WHILE MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED FROM THE HDG AND ATTITUDE INDICATORS, I HAD INADVERTENTLY BROKE THROUGH THE TOP OF THE CLOUD LAYER. I WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE DEP CTLR THAT HE SHOWED ME HAVING MADE A L TURN, AND WHY? SOME RATHER GARBLED COM FOLLOWED, IN WHICH THE CTLR WAS PROBABLY TELLING ME TO TURN TO A HDG OF 260 DEGS, BUT WHICH I MISUNDERSTOOD TO BE TO A HDG OF 60 DEGS. A TWIN JET AIRLINER WAS OFF TO MY L, AND IT WAS EVIDENT TO ME THAT I SHOULD NOT TURN IN THAT DIRECTION. (THAT PLANE WAS PERHAPS 2 MI AWAY AND 500' BELOW ME). THE CTLR THEN DIRECTED ME TO TURN W TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS, WHICH I DID, AND THAT ENDED THE INCIDENT. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY MY INABILITY TO MAINTAIN MY HDG WHEN MY ATTN WAS UNEXPECTEDLY DIVERTED FROM THE HDG AND ATTITUDE INDICATORS BY THE NECESSITY TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUS DEP FREQ. IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM RECURRING, I PLAN ON SEVERAL HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION WITH EMPHASIS ON MAINTAINING A STABLE ATTITUDE EVEN WHEN MY ATTN IS DIVERTED AWAY FROM MY PRIMARY INSTRUMENTS, AND IMPROVING MY SCAN. I DO NOT PLAN ON ANY 'REAL' IFR FLYING UNTIL I AM SATISFIED I CAN DO THIS.

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.