Narrative:

Departed IFR on a SID, CANOGA7. Set #2 HSI 342 degrees inbound to gmn VOR heading 210 degrees. #2 centered turned inbound. Should have stayed on 210 degree vectors for vny thence, I was on top in VFR on an IFR flight plan. Told #4, then #6, never a heading as I recall. Turned and during turn told about traffic. Saw malibu don't recall exact position of malibu it was close. ATC asked where I was going at time sensing something not right. Told to 'turn to 250 degrees, then resume to 300 degrees' given a number to call when I land. Malibu reported a close call. As the event unfolded I thought something was not right and realized I should have stayed heading 210 degrees. I have been flying for many yrs and instructed as well. I am a FAA accident prevention counselor and I have made mistakes before but never deviated from a SID nor any accidents nor violations. We all learn most I think from mistakes and hopefully live. I was under a moderate workload and just plain as day turned for no reason other than a centered needle without thinking. Maybe if I was given a heading by ATC when initially called that would have made a difference. They may have but I did read back the new assigned altitude. In the future I will double/double-check before I turn and not to cause a problem with safety for others.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE200 FAILS TO FOLLOW A SID WHEN FLYING THROUGH BUR, CA, AIRSPACE. THIS NAV DEV CAUSES A CONFLICT WITH A PIPER MALIBU.

Narrative: DEPARTED IFR ON A SID, CANOGA7. SET #2 HSI 342 DEGS INBOUND TO GMN VOR HDG 210 DEGS. #2 CTRED TURNED INBOUND. SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON 210 DEG VECTORS FOR VNY THENCE, I WAS ON TOP IN VFR ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. TOLD #4, THEN #6, NEVER A HEADING AS I RECALL. TURNED AND DURING TURN TOLD ABOUT TFC. SAW MALIBU DON'T RECALL EXACT POS OF MALIBU IT WAS CLOSE. ATC ASKED WHERE I WAS GOING AT TIME SENSING SOMETHING NOT RIGHT. TOLD TO 'TURN TO 250 DEGS, THEN RESUME TO 300 DEGS' GIVEN A NUMBER TO CALL WHEN I LAND. MALIBU RPTED A CLOSE CALL. AS THE EVENT UNFOLDED I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT AND REALIZED I SHOULD HAVE STAYED HDG 210 DEGS. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR MANY YRS AND INSTRUCTED AS WELL. I AM A FAA ACCIDENT PREVENTION COUNSELOR AND I HAVE MADE MISTAKES BEFORE BUT NEVER DEVIATED FROM A SID NOR ANY ACCIDENTS NOR VIOLATIONS. WE ALL LEARN MOST I THINK FROM MISTAKES AND HOPEFULLY LIVE. I WAS UNDER A MODERATE WORKLOAD AND JUST PLAIN AS DAY TURNED FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN A CTRED NEEDLE WITHOUT THINKING. MAYBE IF I WAS GIVEN A HEADING BY ATC WHEN INITIALLY CALLED THAT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. THEY MAY HAVE BUT I DID READ BACK THE NEW ASSIGNED ALT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL DOUBLE/DOUBLE-CHK BEFORE I TURN AND NOT TO CAUSE A PROB WITH SAFETY FOR OTHERS.

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.