A corp small aircraft pilot asked to fly a published SID in VMC. The tower controller said to climb ...

Attributes
ACN	210167
Time
Date	199205
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mfr
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mfr
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3750 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	210167
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I had filed IFR from medford to redding. When I reached the end of the taxiway, the tower informed me that there would be a 10 min delay. Since the WX was clear, I asked medford tower if I could climb out in VFR conditions and maintain my own separation. The tower granted my request and cleared me for takeoff. Before I rolled out onto the runway, I asked the tower if I could climb out on the brute 1 departure, talem transition. I wanted to be certain that the tower and I both agreed on what was going on. The tower confirmed that I could fly that routing but then said to climb on course. That implies a turnout in the general direction of flight. I was too fatigued or just too rushed to question the ambiguous clearance. So I departed and flew the SID. About 30 seconds later, the tower asked me where I was. I gave my position in relation to the transition I was flying. Then the tower said that I was supposed to have just done a downwind departure. I was pretty much on a right downwind anyway so I told them that. They switched me to departure and I still haven't figured out what happened. I telephoned the tower 2 days later and the controller said he wouldn't write me up and that he 'absolved me.' moral of the story: 1) clarify everything, including the previous clarification, 2) don't get rushed, 3) don't fly when fatigued.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CORP SMA PLT ASKED TO FLY A PUBLISHED SID IN VMC. THE TWR CTLR SAID TO CLB ON COURSE. THE SMA FLEW THE SID AND THE TWR BERATED HER FOR NOT TURNING DOWNWIND.

Narrative: I HAD FILED IFR FROM MEDFORD TO REDDING. WHEN I REACHED THE END OF THE TAXIWAY, THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT THERE WOULD BE A 10 MIN DELAY. SINCE THE WX WAS CLR, I ASKED MEDFORD TWR IF I COULD CLB OUT IN VFR CONDITIONS AND MAINTAIN MY OWN SEPARATION. THE TWR GRANTED MY REQUEST AND CLRED ME FOR TKOF. BEFORE I ROLLED OUT ONTO THE RWY, I ASKED THE TWR IF I COULD CLB OUT ON THE BRUTE 1 DEP, TALEM TRANSITION. I WANTED TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE TWR AND I BOTH AGREED ON WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE TWR CONFIRMED THAT I COULD FLY THAT ROUTING BUT THEN SAID TO CLB ON COURSE. THAT IMPLIES A TURNOUT IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF FLT. I WAS TOO FATIGUED OR JUST TOO RUSHED TO QUESTION THE AMBIGUOUS CLRNC. SO I DEPARTED AND FLEW THE SID. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, THE TWR ASKED ME WHERE I WAS. I GAVE MY POS IN RELATION TO THE TRANSITION I WAS FLYING. THEN THE TWR SAID THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE JUST DONE A DOWNWIND DEP. I WAS PRETTY MUCH ON A R DOWNWIND ANYWAY SO I TOLD THEM THAT. THEY SWITCHED ME TO DEP AND I STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT HAPPENED. I TELEPHONED THE TWR 2 DAYS LATER AND THE CTLR SAID HE WOULDN'T WRITE ME UP AND THAT HE 'ABSOLVED ME.' MORAL OF THE STORY: 1) CLARIFY EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE PREVIOUS CLARIFICATION, 2) DON'T GET RUSHED, 3) DON'T FLY WHEN FATIGUED.

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.

A corp small aircraft pilot asked to fly a published SID in VMC. The tower controller said to climb on course. The small aircraft flew the SID and the tower berated her for not turning downwind.