Narrative:

At approximately XA35 small aircraft X was given a takeoff clearance from runway 24 at wjf. Since this was an IFR departure, I expected to be given a heading to fly upon departure. The tower gave no heading or other departure instructions. I asked the tower control what I was expected to do after takeoff. After a pause, the tower controller simply told me to contact departure after takeoff. This left me with the impression that departure would give me further instructions before terrain clearance became an issue. The terrain rises to the southwest and the sun had just set so the mountains were plainly visible. Since it was cavu, I decided to depart and ask departure for instructions while maintaining visual terrain clearance. After takeoff, I asked joshua approach what I was expected to do. The controller said I should proceed direct pmd as cleared. I was already in a left turn when he issued a low altitude warning and said that if I had questions about my departure instructions, I should ask before departing. He said I was expected to fly the published IFR departure procedure. What he said is correct, in the absence of instructions from the tower, I should have flown the published IFR departure procedure. I did not realize this at the time because every time I had departed a towered field prior to this, I had been given a SID by clearance delivery or other departure instructions by the tower. This situation could be prevented by flying the published departure procedure as required. When pilots ask for departure instructions and the tower has none, control towers should say 'fly the published IFR departure procedure.' the instruction to depart and contact departure for further instructions was confusing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ATC CLRNC IFR DEP.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA35 SMA X WAS GIVEN A TKOF CLRNC FROM RWY 24 AT WJF. SINCE THIS WAS AN IFR DEP, I EXPECTED TO BE GIVEN A HEADING TO FLY UPON DEP. THE TWR GAVE NO HEADING OR OTHER DEP INSTRUCTIONS. I ASKED THE TWR CTL WHAT I WAS EXPECTED TO DO AFTER TKOF. AFTER A PAUSE, THE TWR CTLR SIMPLY TOLD ME TO CONTACT DEP AFTER TKOF. THIS LEFT ME WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT DEP WOULD GIVE ME FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE TERRAIN CLRNC BECAME AN ISSUE. THE TERRAIN RISES TO THE SW AND THE SUN HAD JUST SET SO THE MOUNTAINS WERE PLAINLY VISIBLE. SINCE IT WAS CAVU, I DECIDED TO DEPART AND ASK DEP FOR INSTRUCTIONS WHILE MAINTAINING VISUAL TERRAIN CLRNC. AFTER TKOF, I ASKED JOSHUA APCH WHAT I WAS EXPECTED TO DO. THE CTLR SAID I SHOULD PROCEED DIRECT PMD AS CLRED. I WAS ALREADY IN A L TURN WHEN HE ISSUED A LOW ALT WARNING AND SAID THAT IF I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT MY DEP INSTRUCTIONS, I SHOULD ASK BEFORE DEPARTING. HE SAID I WAS EXPECTED TO FLY THE PUBLISHED IFR DEP PROC. WHAT HE SAID IS CORRECT, IN THE ABSENCE OF INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE TWR, I SHOULD HAVE FLOWN THE PUBLISHED IFR DEP PROC. I DID NOT REALIZE THIS AT THE TIME BECAUSE EVERY TIME I HAD DEPARTED A TOWERED FIELD PRIOR TO THIS, I HAD BEEN GIVEN A SID BY CLRNC DELIVERY OR OTHER DEP INSTRUCTIONS BY THE TWR. THIS SIT COULD BE PREVENTED BY FLYING THE PUBLISHED DEP PROC AS REQUIRED. WHEN PLTS ASK FOR DEP INSTRUCTIONS AND THE TWR HAS NONE, CTL TWRS SHOULD SAY 'FLY THE PUBLISHED IFR DEP PROC.' THE INSTRUCTION TO DEPART AND CONTACT DEP FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WAS CONFUSING.

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.