Pilot of atx cleared for takeoff at lax runway heading. After takeoff tower cleared left turn to 200...

Attributes
ACN	195448
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1150
ASRS Report	195448
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation 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 : assigned or threatened penalties faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

For takeoff I requested an 'IFR to VFR' on top clearance, since heavy ground fog was approaching the airport from the west. I received my clearance, and was told by lax ground control to taxi to 25L. Upon reaching the hold line at 25L, the tower informed all air and ground traffic that the lights for 25L went out. This situation seemed to create a chaotic situation, since the WX was deteriorating by the min. While I was waiting for takeoff, I received a second 'IFR to VFR' on top clearance. The clearance called for maintaining runway heading (250 degrees) after departure. Shortly after I was issued a takeoff clearance for runway 25R. After I became airborne, the tower told me to turn left to a heading of 200 degrees. This heading conflicted with the information that I had received on my second 'IFR to VFR' on top clearance. I wanted to call the tower for clarification but the frequency was too congested to 'break in.' I continued to fly the heading that I was assigned. The tower came back again and requested that I turn left to a heading of 200 degrees immediately. I complied with the tower and turned toward that heading. Shortly thereafter, the tower instructed me to turn to a heading of 180. I entered a steep turn to the left and turned to 180, complying with the tower's instructions. A short time later, tower advised me to contact los angeles departure control. After contacting departure control, I elected to cancel my IFR clearance, since I was in VMC conditions. I received vectors from departure control and was cleared through the TCA without further incident. As I was approaching oxnard, los angeles departure advised that I was exiting their airspace. Departure control told me to contact lax tower after I landed at santa maria. As soon as I landed at santa maria, I contacted lax tower and spoke with supervisor who was reluctant to give me any information stating 'this incident will be investigated by the los angeles flight standards district office.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ATX CLRED FOR TKOF AT LAX RWY HDG. AFTER TKOF TWR CLRED L TURN TO 200 DEGS. PLT HELD PREVIOUS CLRNC RWY HDG. ADVISED CALL TWR SUPVR ON LNDG.

Narrative: FOR TKOF I REQUESTED AN 'IFR TO VFR' ON TOP CLRNC, SINCE HVY GND FOG WAS APCHING THE ARPT FROM THE W. I RECEIVED MY CLRNC, AND WAS TOLD BY LAX GND CTL TO TAXI TO 25L. UPON REACHING THE HOLD LINE AT 25L, THE TWR INFORMED ALL AIR AND GND TFC THAT THE LIGHTS FOR 25L WENT OUT. THIS SITUATION SEEMED TO CREATE A CHAOTIC SITUATION, SINCE THE WX WAS DETERIORATING BY THE MIN. WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR TKOF, I RECEIVED A SECOND 'IFR TO VFR' ON TOP CLRNC. THE CLRNC CALLED FOR MAINTAINING RWY HDG (250 DEGS) AFTER DEP. SHORTLY AFTER I WAS ISSUED A TKOF CLRNC FOR RWY 25R. AFTER I BECAME AIRBORNE, THE TWR TOLD ME TO TURN L TO A HDG OF 200 DEGS. THIS HDG CONFLICTED WITH THE INFO THAT I HAD RECEIVED ON MY SECOND 'IFR TO VFR' ON TOP CLRNC. I WANTED TO CALL THE TWR FOR CLARIFICATION BUT THE FREQ WAS TOO CONGESTED TO 'BREAK IN.' I CONTINUED TO FLY THE HDG THAT I WAS ASSIGNED. THE TWR CAME BACK AGAIN AND REQUESTED THAT I TURN L TO A HDG OF 200 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. I COMPLIED WITH THE TWR AND TURNED TOWARD THAT HDG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN TO A HDG OF 180. I ENTERED A STEEP TURN TO THE L AND TURNED TO 180, COMPLYING WITH THE TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS. A SHORT TIME LATER, TWR ADVISED ME TO CONTACT LOS ANGELES DEP CTL. AFTER CONTACTING DEP CTL, I ELECTED TO CANCEL MY IFR CLRNC, SINCE I WAS IN VMC CONDITIONS. I RECEIVED VECTORS FROM DEP CTL AND WAS CLRED THROUGH THE TCA WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AS I WAS APCHING OXNARD, LOS ANGELES DEP ADVISED THAT I WAS EXITING THEIR AIRSPACE. DEP CTL TOLD ME TO CONTACT LAX TWR AFTER I LANDED AT SANTA MARIA. AS SOON AS I LANDED AT SANTA MARIA, I CONTACTED LAX TWR AND SPOKE WITH SUPVR WHO WAS RELUCTANT TO GIVE ME ANY INFO STATING 'THIS INCIDENT WILL BE INVESTIGATED BY THE LOS ANGELES FLT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE.'

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.

Pilot of atx cleared for takeoff at lax runway heading. After takeoff tower cleared left turn to 200 degrees. Pilot held previous clearance runway heading. Advised call tower supervisor on landing.