Pilots of an small aircraft sel training flight made unauthorized turn after a low pass.

Attributes
ACN	320545
Time
Date	199511
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : prc
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 10 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : prc tower : phf
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	320545
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am having problems with a student's radio calls, so I've been having him ask for 'unusual' things on the radio. (This is after he was involved in a near incident because he did not understand what was being asked of him on the radio.) we were talking to local 2 (right traffic, right runway) and asked for a low approach with an early left turn at the tower for left traffic on the left runway. Local 2 responded that they had my request and had me contact local 1. Upon calling local 1, I was cleared for a low approach. When I executed the early left turn, I realized that I had not been cleared for it. Apparently local 2 forgot to tell local 1 about the left turn, and I was expecting the left turn, so even though I was not cleared, I was prepared mentally for the turn. There was no other traffic in the vicinity, and tower knew that they had forgotten to clear me for the turn, so the situation was not really hazardous, but it showed me that when you are expecting something, it may not sink in when you are cleared for something else.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTS OF AN SMA SEL TRAINING FLT MADE UNAUTH TURN AFTER A LOW PASS.

Narrative: I AM HAVING PROBS WITH A STUDENT'S RADIO CALLS, SO I'VE BEEN HAVING HIM ASK FOR 'UNUSUAL' THINGS ON THE RADIO. (THIS IS AFTER HE WAS INVOLVED IN A NEAR INCIDENT BECAUSE HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS BEING ASKED OF HIM ON THE RADIO.) WE WERE TALKING TO LCL 2 (R TFC, R RWY) AND ASKED FOR A LOW APCH WITH AN EARLY L TURN AT THE TWR FOR L TFC ON THE L RWY. LCL 2 RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD MY REQUEST AND HAD ME CONTACT LCL 1. UPON CALLING LCL 1, I WAS CLRED FOR A LOW APCH. WHEN I EXECUTED THE EARLY L TURN, I REALIZED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR IT. APPARENTLY LCL 2 FORGOT TO TELL LCL 1 ABOUT THE L TURN, AND I WAS EXPECTING THE L TURN, SO EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT CLRED, I WAS PREPARED MENTALLY FOR THE TURN. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE VICINITY, AND TWR KNEW THAT THEY HAD FORGOTTEN TO CLR ME FOR THE TURN, SO THE SIT WAS NOT REALLY HAZARDOUS, BUT IT SHOWED ME THAT WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING SOMETHING, IT MAY NOT SINK IN WHEN YOU ARE CLRED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

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.