Narrative:

Filed IFR flight plan even though conditions were good VFR, both for safety and to avoid airspace conflicts. Got clearance by phone from ZNY. Asked for 15 mins, but they would only give me 10 mins. (Released in 10 mins, void at 15 mins.) being relatively low time in multi engine, I knew I really needed the 15 mins, but with the day being as nice as it was, I tried to help ATC out. I highlighted the route on my en route chart. The clearance was '...V39 robrt, direct aml...,' but since I usually get V403 glomo, V408 robrt, when I got to lrp with my highlighter I continued V93 to vinny instead of making the turn to stay on V39. I would not have done this if I were not in a hurry. I did my runup and took off about 30 seconds ahead of the void time but was extra careful with following the checklist and didn't forget anything necessary for safe flight. About 1 hour into the flight, ATC asked me to confirm my routing as V39 robrt. I didn't have to check my clearance notes -- I knew that was correct. ATC responded that I was more than 2 mi off course and I should turn to 270 degrees and intercept the 248 degree radial. After completing my turn, I looked at the en route chart more carefully and it was obvious I'd goofed. I'd been following V93 instead of V39 even though the latter was correctly shown on my written clearance. ATC caught my error before flight safety was affected. However, this points up a weakness in the IFR system at small airports. (I took off from 47N.) ATC wants a short void time, but to get from phone to aircraft and do a proper runup, maybe wait for traffic, takes time. I have a cellular phone and next time I'll use it, but this aspect of IFR flight needs better communication between ATC and the pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA44-180 PLT DEVIATES FROM THE CLRED AIRWAY WHEN HE FAILED TO HIGHLIGHT THE CORRECT RTE PRIOR TO TKOF. HE WAS RUSHED WITH A CLRNC VOID TIME.

Narrative: FILED IFR FLT PLAN EVEN THOUGH CONDITIONS WERE GOOD VFR, BOTH FOR SAFETY AND TO AVOID AIRSPACE CONFLICTS. GOT CLRNC BY PHONE FROM ZNY. ASKED FOR 15 MINS, BUT THEY WOULD ONLY GIVE ME 10 MINS. (RELEASED IN 10 MINS, VOID AT 15 MINS.) BEING RELATIVELY LOW TIME IN MULTI ENG, I KNEW I REALLY NEEDED THE 15 MINS, BUT WITH THE DAY BEING AS NICE AS IT WAS, I TRIED TO HELP ATC OUT. I HIGHLIGHTED THE RTE ON MY ENRTE CHART. THE CLRNC WAS '...V39 ROBRT, DIRECT AML...,' BUT SINCE I USUALLY GET V403 GLOMO, V408 ROBRT, WHEN I GOT TO LRP WITH MY HIGHLIGHTER I CONTINUED V93 TO VINNY INSTEAD OF MAKING THE TURN TO STAY ON V39. I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS IF I WERE NOT IN A HURRY. I DID MY RUNUP AND TOOK OFF ABOUT 30 SECONDS AHEAD OF THE VOID TIME BUT WAS EXTRA CAREFUL WITH FOLLOWING THE CHKLIST AND DIDN'T FORGET ANYTHING NECESSARY FOR SAFE FLT. ABOUT 1 HR INTO THE FLT, ATC ASKED ME TO CONFIRM MY ROUTING AS V39 ROBRT. I DIDN'T HAVE TO CHK MY CLRNC NOTES -- I KNEW THAT WAS CORRECT. ATC RESPONDED THAT I WAS MORE THAN 2 MI OFF COURSE AND I SHOULD TURN TO 270 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE 248 DEG RADIAL. AFTER COMPLETING MY TURN, I LOOKED AT THE ENRTE CHART MORE CAREFULLY AND IT WAS OBVIOUS I'D GOOFED. I'D BEEN FOLLOWING V93 INSTEAD OF V39 EVEN THOUGH THE LATTER WAS CORRECTLY SHOWN ON MY WRITTEN CLRNC. ATC CAUGHT MY ERROR BEFORE FLT SAFETY WAS AFFECTED. HOWEVER, THIS POINTS UP A WEAKNESS IN THE IFR SYS AT SMALL ARPTS. (I TOOK OFF FROM 47N.) ATC WANTS A SHORT VOID TIME, BUT TO GET FROM PHONE TO ACFT AND DO A PROPER RUNUP, MAYBE WAIT FOR TFC, TAKES TIME. I HAVE A CELLULAR PHONE AND NEXT TIME I'LL USE IT, BUT THIS ASPECT OF IFR FLT NEEDS BETTER COM BTWN ATC AND THE PLT.

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.