Small aircraft pilot flies wrong direction on radial on IFR clearance. Controller intervenes.

Attributes
ACN	149588
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : emt
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont tower : msp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	149588
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Filed tower en route emt to vny. I was cleared to vny, fly runway heading, at 800', left climbing turn, intercept pdz 276 degree right eastbound, pdz, V186, direct vny. Climb and maintain 4000'. Expect 6000' 5 mins after departure, departure frequency 125.5. Receive squawk from tower. I readback clearance, ground said readback correct. I took off. At 800', I began left turn and climb. Tower said contact ontario approach at 2000'. At 2000' I contacted ontario approach. By this time I was directly over emt, westbound on a heading of 276 tracking 276 degree right , pdz outbnd. Controller asked for identify. I idented. Controller then said my departure course was incorrect, ordered an immediate 180 degree turn and expedited climb to 6000'. I complied. Controller then stated that I was supposed to be on the standard emt departure. I stated that I thought that's what I had executed. I now realized my mistake. I had flown the pdz 276 degree right 'outbnd' not 'eastbound' as instructed. I apologized to the controller for my mistake and swallowed my pride. I had just undergone a BFR 2 months before, checked out IFR in a complex single and recently had even done simulator work with an instuctor. After first receiving clearance, I thought it unusual that I would have to fly to pdz first, even though vny was opp direction. I thought to myself this can't be. Instead of double checking with ground after clearance, I stupidly flew the wrong way after thinking 'eastbound' and 'outbnd' were the same direction. I am extremely embarassed by this mistake. A clearance is very clear and direct. Even after working on a chart, I began to interpret the clearance differently, why? I don't know other than to say the clearance sounded stupid and despite going through it once in my head to verify it, I'm the one that looks stupid in the end. In the future if there's even the slightest doubt or confusion I will double check the clearance with ground; especially when flying from an airport for the first time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLIES WRONG DIRECTION ON RADIAL ON IFR CLRNC. CTLR INTERVENES.

Narrative: FILED TWR ENRTE EMT TO VNY. I WAS CLRED TO VNY, FLY RWY HDG, AT 800', L CLBING TURN, INTERCEPT PDZ 276 DEG R EBND, PDZ, V186, DIRECT VNY. CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000'. EXPECT 6000' 5 MINS AFTER DEP, DEP FREQ 125.5. RECEIVE SQUAWK FROM TWR. I READBACK CLRNC, GND SAID READBACK CORRECT. I TOOK OFF. AT 800', I BEGAN L TURN AND CLB. TWR SAID CONTACT ONTARIO APCH AT 2000'. AT 2000' I CONTACTED ONTARIO APCH. BY THIS TIME I WAS DIRECTLY OVER EMT, WBND ON A HDG OF 276 TRACKING 276 DEG R , PDZ OUTBND. CTLR ASKED FOR IDENT. I IDENTED. CTLR THEN SAID MY DEP COURSE WAS INCORRECT, ORDERED AN IMMEDIATE 180 DEG TURN AND EXPEDITED CLB TO 6000'. I COMPLIED. CTLR THEN STATED THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE STANDARD EMT DEP. I STATED THAT I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT I HAD EXECUTED. I NOW REALIZED MY MISTAKE. I HAD FLOWN THE PDZ 276 DEG R 'OUTBND' NOT 'EBND' AS INSTRUCTED. I APOLOGIZED TO THE CTLR FOR MY MISTAKE AND SWALLOWED MY PRIDE. I HAD JUST UNDERGONE A BFR 2 MONTHS BEFORE, CHKED OUT IFR IN A COMPLEX SINGLE AND RECENTLY HAD EVEN DONE SIMULATOR WORK WITH AN INSTUCTOR. AFTER FIRST RECEIVING CLRNC, I THOUGHT IT UNUSUAL THAT I WOULD HAVE TO FLY TO PDZ FIRST, EVEN THOUGH VNY WAS OPP DIRECTION. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THIS CAN'T BE. INSTEAD OF DOUBLE CHKING WITH GND AFTER CLRNC, I STUPIDLY FLEW THE WRONG WAY AFTER THINKING 'EBND' AND 'OUTBND' WERE THE SAME DIRECTION. I AM EXTREMELY EMBARASSED BY THIS MISTAKE. A CLRNC IS VERY CLR AND DIRECT. EVEN AFTER WORKING ON A CHART, I BEGAN TO INTERPRET THE CLRNC DIFFERENTLY, WHY? I DON'T KNOW OTHER THAN TO SAY THE CLRNC SOUNDED STUPID AND DESPITE GOING THROUGH IT ONCE IN MY HEAD TO VERIFY IT, I'M THE ONE THAT LOOKS STUPID IN THE END. IN THE FUTURE IF THERE'S EVEN THE SLIGHTEST DOUBT OR CONFUSION I WILL DOUBLE CHK THE CLRNC WITH GND; ESPECIALLY WHEN FLYING FROM AN ARPT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

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.