Narrative:

After departing on runway 32 at sault ste marie, mi, I climbed 500 ft and was over the departure end of the runway. At this time I contacted sault ste marie, canada, requesting clearance through their airspace and started a sharp left turn. At this time sault ste marie, canada, told me that I was cleared through their airspace, and that I was supposed to make a right turn-out, not a left one when departing runway 32 at sanderson. This was where my confusion started. According to my guide, right traffic would be flown if you were landing or departing runway 14, and standard left traffic for runway 32. Because of this I departed runway 32 at Y62 and turned to the south (left) to stay away from the class D airspace, and the united states/canadian border. When I returned to btl and looked through the airways facilities directory I discovered that I had flown an improper traffic pattern. I could have avoided this incident by checking other references to figure out any specific or unusual procedures for this airport (Y62), ie, call FBO, or check any other airways facilities directory type sources. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the commercial chart is different than the sectional or state charts. The commercial guide reporter referenced is an airport facility type guide. The government airport facility directory does not mention a turn out direction. He indicated he would send a copy of the airport facility directory which shows the right turn out. This was a few weeks ago and even though he returned a call and said would get to it, he has not yet sent the copy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY 20R PLT DEPARTS ARPT NEAR CANADIAN BORDER AND MAKES A L TURN VERSUS A R TURN AS HE CONTACTS CANADIAN ATC. THEY REMIND HIM OF THE CORRECT TURN DIRECTION AS THEY CLR HIM THROUGH THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING ON RWY 32 AT SAULT STE MARIE, MI, I CLBED 500 FT AND WAS OVER THE DEP END OF THE RWY. AT THIS TIME I CONTACTED SAULT STE MARIE, CANADA, REQUESTING CLRNC THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE AND STARTED A SHARP L TURN. AT THIS TIME SAULT STE MARIE, CANADA, TOLD ME THAT I WAS CLRED THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE, AND THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE A R TURN-OUT, NOT A L ONE WHEN DEPARTING RWY 32 AT SANDERSON. THIS WAS WHERE MY CONFUSION STARTED. ACCORDING TO MY GUIDE, R TFC WOULD BE FLOWN IF YOU WERE LNDG OR DEPARTING RWY 14, AND STANDARD L TFC FOR RWY 32. BECAUSE OF THIS I DEPARTED RWY 32 AT Y62 AND TURNED TO THE S (L) TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND THE UNITED STATES/CANADIAN BORDER. WHEN I RETURNED TO BTL AND LOOKED THROUGH THE AIRWAYS FACILITIES DIRECTORY I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD FLOWN AN IMPROPER TFC PATTERN. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS INCIDENT BY CHKING OTHER REFS TO FIGURE OUT ANY SPECIFIC OR UNUSUAL PROCS FOR THIS ARPT (Y62), IE, CALL FBO, OR CHK ANY OTHER AIRWAYS FACILITIES DIRECTORY TYPE SOURCES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE COMMERCIAL CHART IS DIFFERENT THAN THE SECTIONAL OR STATE CHARTS. THE COMMERCIAL GUIDE RPTR REFED IS AN ARPT FACILITY TYPE GUIDE. THE GOV ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY DOES NOT MENTION A TURN OUT DIRECTION. HE INDICATED HE WOULD SEND A COPY OF THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY WHICH SHOWS THE R TURN OUT. THIS WAS A FEW WKS AGO AND EVEN THOUGH HE RETURNED A CALL AND SAID WOULD GET TO IT, HE HAS NOT YET SENT THE COPY.

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.