Narrative:

I was going to deliver a cessna 206 to miami. The WX south of memphis was IFR, and I knew I would have to make an ILS on the way down, and wanted to check the equipment. I had never been in the airplane, so I did a VOR check, and a practice ILS at mem before opening my IFR flight plan. After an ILS to a low missed approach, runway 36R, the tower told me turn to 030 degrees and contact departure. I had expected a right turn, but I thought he said 300 degrees. I started my turn, and tried to contact approach and found a problem with the communication radio I was using. I intended to question my assigned heading with departure because it was taking me the wrong way for my destination. When I finally contacted departure, he wanted to know where I was going. I don't think any problem was caused but if someone was departing runway 36L there could have been. I am sure the controller told me the right way to turn, and I misunderstood. I should have asked the tower controller if 300 degrees was right before I tried to change to departure. I was too preoccupied with checking my equipment. I still think saying 30 or 300, is more clear than saying zero three zero or three zero zero.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH COCKPIT LAYOUT MAY HAVE LED TO HIS GETTING BEHIND THE AIRPLANE. PLT SKIPPED A READBACK, THEN OPERATED BY INCORRECT INFO.

Narrative: I WAS GOING TO DELIVER A CESSNA 206 TO MIAMI. THE WX S OF MEMPHIS WAS IFR, AND I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE AN ILS ON THE WAY DOWN, AND WANTED TO CHK THE EQUIP. I HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE AIRPLANE, SO I DID A VOR CHK, AND A PRACTICE ILS AT MEM BEFORE OPENING MY IFR FLT PLAN. AFTER AN ILS TO A LOW MISSED APCH, RWY 36R, THE TWR TOLD ME TURN TO 030 DEGS AND CONTACT DEP. I HAD EXPECTED A R TURN, BUT I THOUGHT HE SAID 300 DEGS. I STARTED MY TURN, AND TRIED TO CONTACT APCH AND FOUND A PROB WITH THE COM RADIO I WAS USING. I INTENDED TO QUESTION MY ASSIGNED HDG WITH DEP BECAUSE IT WAS TAKING ME THE WRONG WAY FOR MY DEST. WHEN I FINALLY CONTACTED DEP, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I WAS GOING. I DON'T THINK ANY PROB WAS CAUSED BUT IF SOMEONE WAS DEPARTING RWY 36L THERE COULD HAVE BEEN. I AM SURE THE CTLR TOLD ME THE RIGHT WAY TO TURN, AND I MISUNDERSTOOD. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE TWR CTLR IF 300 DEGS WAS RIGHT BEFORE I TRIED TO CHANGE TO DEP. I WAS TOO PREOCCUPIED WITH CHKING MY EQUIP. I STILL THINK SAYING 30 OR 300, IS MORE CLR THAN SAYING ZERO THREE ZERO OR THREE ZERO ZERO.

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.