Small aircraft pilot on IFR flight plan from non tower airport unable to contact TRACON on assigned ...

Attributes
ACN	179183
Time
Date	199105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 49j
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nbc tracon : sav tower : vgt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	179193
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received clearance on the ground at 49J from sav departure control. Controller gave clearance very fast. I gave the readback west/O the heading. Do not know if heading was even given! Controller said readback was correct. Void time was given xx:46Z. Departed runway 21 and realized I didn't have a heading. Tried to contact sav 3 or 4 times to no avail. The controller was very busy, so I turned northwest toward beaufort and contacted them. I have departed 49J several times IFR and this was the procedure used in the past. When beaufort was contacted I was at 1800' MSL VFR. Beaufort cleared me to 1000' and on course heading and I told beaufort that I was deviating to the right to avoid buildups. At about 7000' in the climb, the beaufort controller read me the riot act for not following procedures. I tried to explain that I could not contact sav to no avail for further information. Please call. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that there has been no follow-up. Sav frequency was extremely busy, so he felt getting some ATC contact was necessary. Says he explained situation to controller, but got no sympathy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM NON TWR ARPT UNABLE TO CONTACT TRACON ON ASSIGNED FREQ. REALIZED NO HEADING GIVEN IN CLRNC.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC ON THE GND AT 49J FROM SAV DEP CTL. CTLR GAVE CLRNC VERY FAST. I GAVE THE READBACK W/O THE HDG. DO NOT KNOW IF HDG WAS EVEN GIVEN! CTLR SAID READBACK WAS CORRECT. VOID TIME WAS GIVEN XX:46Z. DEPARTED RWY 21 AND REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE A HDG. TRIED TO CONTACT SAV 3 OR 4 TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, SO I TURNED NW TOWARD BEAUFORT AND CONTACTED THEM. I HAVE DEPARTED 49J SEVERAL TIMES IFR AND THIS WAS THE PROC USED IN THE PAST. WHEN BEAUFORT WAS CONTACTED I WAS AT 1800' MSL VFR. BEAUFORT CLRED ME TO 1000' AND ON COURSE HDG AND I TOLD BEAUFORT THAT I WAS DEVIATING TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID BUILDUPS. AT ABOUT 7000' IN THE CLB, THE BEAUFORT CTLR READ ME THE RIOT ACT FOR NOT FOLLOWING PROCS. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT I COULD NOT CONTACT SAV TO NO AVAIL FOR FURTHER INFO. PLEASE CALL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP. SAV FREQ WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, SO HE FELT GETTING SOME ATC CONTACT WAS NECESSARY. SAYS HE EXPLAINED SITUATION TO CTLR, BUT GOT NO SYMPATHY.

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.

Small aircraft pilot on IFR flight plan from non tower airport unable to contact TRACON on assigned frequency. Realized no heading given in clearance.