Narrative:

I was the PIC of a navy flight out of el toro, ca, MCAS on sep/sat/91. We were supposed to be cleared tower en route to NAS north island 60 mi away. We were told to takeoff on runway heading and maintain below or at 3000 ft. We took off and climbed to 3000 ft and called coast approach for higher. They gave us 4000 ft which put us IFR with no heading except the runway heading of 070 out of el toro. Then they came back and asked our heading and who assigned it to us. They then gave us a turn to 140 degrees and climb to 8000 ft. On landing at north island naval air station we were told to call the FAA office for our side of the story. They said we almost hit the mountain. We did exactly what we were cleared for. We maintained VFR until coast approach picked us up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLT ON A VFR RESTRICTION ENCOUNTERS CLOUDS ON A CLBOUT ON RWY HDG IN PROX OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Narrative: I WAS THE PIC OF A NAVY FLT OUT OF EL TORO, CA, MCAS ON SEP/SAT/91. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CLRED TWR ENRTE TO NAS N ISLAND 60 MI AWAY. WE WERE TOLD TO TKOF ON RWY HDG AND MAINTAIN BELOW OR AT 3000 FT. WE TOOK OFF AND CLBED TO 3000 FT AND CALLED COAST APCH FOR HIGHER. THEY GAVE US 4000 FT WHICH PUT US IFR WITH NO HDG EXCEPT THE RWY HDG OF 070 OUT OF EL TORO. THEN THEY CAME BACK AND ASKED OUR HDG AND WHO ASSIGNED IT TO US. THEY THEN GAVE US A TURN TO 140 DEGS AND CLB TO 8000 FT. ON LNDG AT N ISLAND NAVAL AIR STATION WE WERE TOLD TO CALL THE FAA OFFICE FOR OUR SIDE OF THE STORY. THEY SAID WE ALMOST HIT THE MOUNTAIN. WE DID EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE CLRED FOR. WE MAINTAINED VFR UNTIL COAST APCH PICKED US UP.

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.