Small aircraft pilot flies wrong heading on SID. Transposes numbers. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	241827
Time
Date	199305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 447 flight time type : 227
ASRS Report	241827
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

For a flight from sus to cwa my clearance was via the cards 1 SID, capital transition then as filed. The SID provides for radar vectors to the stl VOR then V-9 to the cap VOR. The on course heading to stl from sus is 031 degree. My release was after takeoff turn right to 310 degrees. Upon takeoff I turned right to a heading of 031 degrees, which is what I expect as the on course heading to stl. Expecting 031 degrees I mentally transposed 310 degrees. After handoff from sus tower to stl departure I was told to fly 310 degrees and climb to 4000 ft. I once again transposed 310 degrees for 031 degrees. Stl departure then asked to confirm I was flying 310 degrees. I then realized my error and said negative what heading to you want me on. Stl said fly 280 degrees and do not climb above 2500 ft. What would have prevented this? Pilot should not anticipate headings ATC will assign beforehand. ATC should not assign headings which can easily be misunderstood or transposed for direct on course headings which the pilot would want to fly. Finally sids should not contain radar vectors but should always give specific headings to be flown.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLIES WRONG HDG ON SID. TRANSPOSES NUMBERS. HDG DEV.

Narrative: FOR A FLT FROM SUS TO CWA MY CLRNC WAS VIA THE CARDS 1 SID, CAPITAL TRANSITION THEN AS FILED. THE SID PROVIDES FOR RADAR VECTORS TO THE STL VOR THEN V-9 TO THE CAP VOR. THE ON COURSE HDG TO STL FROM SUS IS 031 DEG. MY RELEASE WAS AFTER TKOF TURN R TO 310 DEGS. UPON TKOF I TURNED R TO A HDG OF 031 DEGS, WHICH IS WHAT I EXPECT AS THE ON COURSE HDG TO STL. EXPECTING 031 DEGS I MENTALLY TRANSPOSED 310 DEGS. AFTER HDOF FROM SUS TWR TO STL DEP I WAS TOLD TO FLY 310 DEGS AND CLB TO 4000 FT. I ONCE AGAIN TRANSPOSED 310 DEGS FOR 031 DEGS. STL DEP THEN ASKED TO CONFIRM I WAS FLYING 310 DEGS. I THEN REALIZED MY ERROR AND SAID NEGATIVE WHAT HDG TO YOU WANT ME ON. STL SAID FLY 280 DEGS AND DO NOT CLB ABOVE 2500 FT. WHAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS? PLT SHOULD NOT ANTICIPATE HDGS ATC WILL ASSIGN BEFOREHAND. ATC SHOULD NOT ASSIGN HDGS WHICH CAN EASILY BE MISUNDERSTOOD OR TRANSPOSED FOR DIRECT ON COURSE HDGS WHICH THE PLT WOULD WANT TO FLY. FINALLY SIDS SHOULD NOT CONTAIN RADAR VECTORS BUT SHOULD ALWAYS GIVE SPECIFIC HDGS TO BE FLOWN.

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.