Narrative:

Palm springs 2 departure, climb on heading 100 degree, expect vector to on course. Assigned 4000', expecting a left turn to intercept the psp VOR 329 right (V-386 radials palmdale, flight plan route to san francisco). I engaged the autoplt at 1700', set heading mode, but then incorrectly armed VOR/localizer with the psp 329 right set in. Approaching 4000', the aircraft began a left turn to intercept the 329 right, or rather the 149 right to psp VOR. Apparently because I was expecting to be cleared for such a left turn, I let the turn continue, forgetting that clearance had not been received! My copilot called me on it, just as departure control notified us that we should be on heading 100 degree. My error was in arming a VOR capture when I should not have, and then being slow to believe I could have done that west/O clearance, and for a brief time blocking the fact that I was wrong, that clearance had not been issued. And although there was no contact with other traffic, my embarrassment is large, and I am shocked and sobered by the realization that I could so easily have pushed that arming button. I have renewed my resolve to fly my airplane by the book, step by step. And I am briefing each copilot to watch me closely, and speak up positively if any discrepancy is noted. Be safe, not bashful! Also, I have made the psp-2 departure several times, correctly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATION. FAILED TO FOLLOW SID FROM PSP.

Narrative: PALM SPRINGS 2 DEP, CLB ON HDG 100 DEG, EXPECT VECTOR TO ON COURSE. ASSIGNED 4000', EXPECTING A L TURN TO INTERCEPT THE PSP VOR 329 R (V-386 RADIALS PALMDALE, FLT PLAN RTE TO SAN FRANCISCO). I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AT 1700', SET HDG MODE, BUT THEN INCORRECTLY ARMED VOR/LOC WITH THE PSP 329 R SET IN. APCHING 4000', THE ACFT BEGAN A L TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 329 R, OR RATHER THE 149 R TO PSP VOR. APPARENTLY BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING TO BE CLRED FOR SUCH A L TURN, I LET THE TURN CONTINUE, FORGETTING THAT CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVED! MY COPLT CALLED ME ON IT, JUST AS DEP CTL NOTIFIED US THAT WE SHOULD BE ON HDG 100 DEG. MY ERROR WAS IN ARMING A VOR CAPTURE WHEN I SHOULD NOT HAVE, AND THEN BEING SLOW TO BELIEVE I COULD HAVE DONE THAT W/O CLRNC, AND FOR A BRIEF TIME BLOCKING THE FACT THAT I WAS WRONG, THAT CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED. AND ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH OTHER TFC, MY EMBARRASSMENT IS LARGE, AND I AM SHOCKED AND SOBERED BY THE REALIZATION THAT I COULD SO EASILY HAVE PUSHED THAT ARMING BUTTON. I HAVE RENEWED MY RESOLVE TO FLY MY AIRPLANE BY THE BOOK, STEP BY STEP. AND I AM BRIEFING EACH COPLT TO WATCH ME CLOSELY, AND SPEAK UP POSITIVELY IF ANY DISCREPANCY IS NOTED. BE SAFE, NOT BASHFUL! ALSO, I HAVE MADE THE PSP-2 DEP SEVERAL TIMES, CORRECTLY.

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.