Narrative:

Prior to departure from hobby airport I requested VFR clearance northbound heading 350 degrees and 4500 ft. On takeoff from runway 12 the tower gave me a clearance to make left turn to 360 degrees and no altitude was ever assigned. Climbing on heading of 360 degrees and climbing through 2200 ft the approach called and requested I descend to 1500 ft. I advised I had not received any altitude assignment and they said I should have. I descended to 1500 ft and shortly thereafter I was released and told I was clear of the class B airspace, which was true. But they had me on a heading that turned me into the houston international class B in a couple of mi. Before I was able to identify my exact position I was penetrating the edge of the 'to surface class B airspace.' I made an immediate turn to the east away from it at which time houston approach also called telling me to turn. I probably penetrated the space by a mi or two. I have flown into hobby many times and this is the first time I have not been controled all the way to the 30 mi edge. I believe it poor practice to release an aircraft from their control when they have you on an assigned heading that in 2 or 3 mi will put you back in the airspace. It is confusing to the pilot and requires an immediate response and action from the pilot that he usually is not prepared to assume.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY 201 PLT HAS PROB ON DEP FROM HOU WHEN BEING VECTORED TOWARD SURFACE OF CLASS B AIRSPACE AND RELEASED.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP FROM HOBBY ARPT I REQUESTED VFR CLRNC NBOUND HDG 350 DEGS AND 4500 FT. ON TKOF FROM RWY 12 THE TWR GAVE ME A CLRNC TO MAKE L TURN TO 360 DEGS AND NO ALT WAS EVER ASSIGNED. CLBING ON HDG OF 360 DEGS AND CLBING THROUGH 2200 FT THE APCH CALLED AND REQUESTED I DSND TO 1500 FT. I ADVISED I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY ALT ASSIGNMENT AND THEY SAID I SHOULD HAVE. I DSNDED TO 1500 FT AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WAS RELEASED AND TOLD I WAS CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, WHICH WAS TRUE. BUT THEY HAD ME ON A HEADING THAT TURNED ME INTO THE HOUSTON INTL CLASS B IN A COUPLE OF MI. BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO IDENT MY EXACT POS I WAS PENETRATING THE EDGE OF THE 'TO SURFACE CLASS B AIRSPACE.' I MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE E AWAY FROM IT AT WHICH TIME HOUSTON APCH ALSO CALLED TELLING ME TO TURN. I PROBABLY PENETRATED THE SPACE BY A MI OR TWO. I HAVE FLOWN INTO HOBBY MANY TIMES AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE NOT BEEN CTLED ALL THE WAY TO THE 30 MI EDGE. I BELIEVE IT POOR PRACTICE TO RELEASE AN ACFT FROM THEIR CTL WHEN THEY HAVE YOU ON AN ASSIGNED HDG THAT IN 2 OR 3 MI WILL PUT YOU BACK IN THE AIRSPACE. IT IS CONFUSING TO THE PLT AND REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AND ACTION FROM THE PLT THAT HE USUALLY IS NOT PREPARED TO ASSUME.

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.