Narrative:

I received a complete WX briefing from FSS by phone from FBO's pilot's flight planning room, and I filed an IFR flight plan from mem to tri, tn. The FBO also had a radio telephone to approach control from which I picked up my IFR clearance. I had filed a route of flight of direct jacks creek V16 tri VOR direct at 5000 ft. When I copied my clearance, I copied and read back 'cleared to tri via mem 5 departure, climb and maintain 3000 ft, departure on 124.15, squawk XXXX.' after preflting the aircraft, I read the SID, first line, 'cleared as filed.' second, 'maintain runway heading or assigned vector.' third, 'make no turns until at least 500 ft AGL.' when I departed runway 18C, I maintained runway heading until above 500 ft then began a left turn toward jacks creek VOR. As I was turning through about 080 degrees, the controller told me to make an immediate right turn to 180 degrees. I banked to 35 degrees to the right and turned to 180 degrees. The controller gave me a phone number and asked me to call upon landing, which I did. I was convinced that ATC had failed to issue me proper heading instructions. When I leveled off, set the autoplt and re- read the SID, I could see what I was supposed to have done. Even now, I think the wording could be less confusing if the first 2 instructions were reversed (maintain runway heading, cleared as filed). I also think, 'maybe if I had taken an extra min to carefully study the SID, I would have at least been confused enough to ask.' I'm not sure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA34 FAILED TO FOLLOW THE PUBLISHED SID DEP DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING HIS CLRNC AND TURNED OFF THE RWY HDG BEFORE IT WAS TIME.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A COMPLETE WX BRIEFING FROM FSS BY PHONE FROM FBO'S PLT'S FLT PLANNING ROOM, AND I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MEM TO TRI, TN. THE FBO ALSO HAD A RADIO TELEPHONE TO APCH CTL FROM WHICH I PICKED UP MY IFR CLRNC. I HAD FILED A RTE OF FLT OF DIRECT JACKS CREEK V16 TRI VOR DIRECT AT 5000 FT. WHEN I COPIED MY CLRNC, I COPIED AND READ BACK 'CLRED TO TRI VIA MEM 5 DEP, CLB AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT, DEP ON 124.15, SQUAWK XXXX.' AFTER PREFLTING THE ACFT, I READ THE SID, FIRST LINE, 'CLRED AS FILED.' SECOND, 'MAINTAIN RWY HDG OR ASSIGNED VECTOR.' THIRD, 'MAKE NO TURNS UNTIL AT LEAST 500 FT AGL.' WHEN I DEPARTED RWY 18C, I MAINTAINED RWY HDG UNTIL ABOVE 500 FT THEN BEGAN A L TURN TOWARD JACKS CREEK VOR. AS I WAS TURNING THROUGH ABOUT 080 DEGS, THE CTLR TOLD ME TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO 180 DEGS. I BANKED TO 35 DEGS TO THE R AND TURNED TO 180 DEGS. THE CTLR GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER AND ASKED ME TO CALL UPON LNDG, WHICH I DID. I WAS CONVINCED THAT ATC HAD FAILED TO ISSUE ME PROPER HDG INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN I LEVELED OFF, SET THE AUTOPLT AND RE- READ THE SID, I COULD SEE WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE. EVEN NOW, I THINK THE WORDING COULD BE LESS CONFUSING IF THE FIRST 2 INSTRUCTIONS WERE REVERSED (MAINTAIN RWY HDG, CLRED AS FILED). I ALSO THINK, 'MAYBE IF I HAD TAKEN AN EXTRA MIN TO CAREFULLY STUDY THE SID, I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST BEEN CONFUSED ENOUGH TO ASK.' I'M NOT SURE.

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.