Small aircraft pilot had a heading deviation on an IFR departure.

Attributes
ACN	418430
Time
Date	199810
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : laf
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 680 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	418430
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On oct/xa/98, I was issued an IFR clearance out of laf airport. I was told to maintain a runway heading of 100 degrees. After departure I was to contact ZAU on 123.85. At about 1200 ft MSL I contacted ZAU and notified him of my position and altitude. As I climbed to 2500 ft MSL, I requested present position to bna. At that point, center asked me if I had long range navigation capabilities. I said that I did have long range capabilities (GPS) and he went on to clear me direct to bna upon reaching 5000 ft MSL. As soon as I heard that, I started to turn to my first VOR (huf) which was the way I filed. I did that because I thought I couldn't go direct until 5000 ft MSL and I thought I needed to navigation by my flight plan. When I was on about a heading of 145-160 degrees, ATC controller asked me something about why I was turning and advised me of traffic somewhere off my nose 4 NM respectively. I told him that I thought I was clear to navigation (basically) until reaching 5000 ft MSL when I can go direct to bna. ZAU passed a message down the stream to evv and asked me to contact them. I did. They said they were going to investigate the situation and report it to the flight safety office.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAD A HDG DEV ON AN IFR DEP.

Narrative: ON OCT/XA/98, I WAS ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC OUT OF LAF ARPT. I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN A RWY HDG OF 100 DEGS. AFTER DEP I WAS TO CONTACT ZAU ON 123.85. AT ABOUT 1200 FT MSL I CONTACTED ZAU AND NOTIFIED HIM OF MY POS AND ALT. AS I CLBED TO 2500 FT MSL, I REQUESTED PRESENT POS TO BNA. AT THAT POINT, CTR ASKED ME IF I HAD LONG RANGE NAV CAPABILITIES. I SAID THAT I DID HAVE LONG RANGE CAPABILITIES (GPS) AND HE WENT ON TO CLR ME DIRECT TO BNA UPON REACHING 5000 FT MSL. AS SOON AS I HEARD THAT, I STARTED TO TURN TO MY FIRST VOR (HUF) WHICH WAS THE WAY I FILED. I DID THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT I COULDN'T GO DIRECT UNTIL 5000 FT MSL AND I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO NAV BY MY FLT PLAN. WHEN I WAS ON ABOUT A HDG OF 145-160 DEGS, ATC CTLR ASKED ME SOMETHING ABOUT WHY I WAS TURNING AND ADVISED ME OF TFC SOMEWHERE OFF MY NOSE 4 NM RESPECTIVELY. I TOLD HIM THAT I THOUGHT I WAS CLR TO NAV (BASICALLY) UNTIL REACHING 5000 FT MSL WHEN I CAN GO DIRECT TO BNA. ZAU PASSED A MESSAGE DOWN THE STREAM TO EVV AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT THEM. I DID. THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE SIT AND RPT IT TO THE FLT SAFETY OFFICE.

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.