Narrative:

Departure clearance: preparing to depart camarillo airport for el monte airport at approximately XX20 on nov/xa/98. I requested a 'tower en route IFR clearance.' in the run-up area, I copied and read back the following clearance: 'small aircraft cleared to the el monte airport. After departure turn right, heading 230 degrees, radar vectors van nuys victor 186 paradise direct, maintain 4000 ft expect 5000 ft in 5 mins, departure frequency 124.7, squawk XXXX.' after liftoff and at approximately 500 ft AGL, departure control asked if I had been given an instruction to start the turn at 400 ft. I said no, not that I recall, and not that I read back. He gave me an instruction to turn and called out traffic, I believe a military P3 crossing north to south about 3-4 mi east. The runway 8 IFR departure procedure calls for '...climb to 2500 ft via the cma VOR 061 degree radial.' I think normally I would start the turn just below pattern altitude without a special instruction. Tower controllers were very, very busy with lots of landing and departing traffic and a large mix of different kinds of aircraft. In the future, I will ask for altitude at which to start the turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA FAILED TO TURN AT THE SPECIFIED ALT DURING DEP DUE TO NOT REMEMBERING OR COPYING, OR MISINTERPING THE CLRNC FOR THE LOW ALT TURN AFTER TKOF, RESULTING IN A CONFLICT WITH A MIL P3.

Narrative: DEP CLRNC: PREPARING TO DEPART CAMARILLO ARPT FOR EL MONTE ARPT AT APPROX XX20 ON NOV/XA/98. I REQUESTED A 'TWR ENRTE IFR CLRNC.' IN THE RUN-UP AREA, I COPIED AND READ BACK THE FOLLOWING CLRNC: 'SMA CLRED TO THE EL MONTE ARPT. AFTER DEP TURN R, HDG 230 DEGS, RADAR VECTORS VAN NUYS VICTOR 186 PARADISE DIRECT, MAINTAIN 4000 FT EXPECT 5000 FT IN 5 MINS, DEP FREQ 124.7, SQUAWK XXXX.' AFTER LIFTOFF AND AT APPROX 500 FT AGL, DEP CTL ASKED IF I HAD BEEN GIVEN AN INSTRUCTION TO START THE TURN AT 400 FT. I SAID NO, NOT THAT I RECALL, AND NOT THAT I READ BACK. HE GAVE ME AN INSTRUCTION TO TURN AND CALLED OUT TFC, I BELIEVE A MIL P3 XING N TO S ABOUT 3-4 MI E. THE RWY 8 IFR DEP PROC CALLS FOR '...CLB TO 2500 FT VIA THE CMA VOR 061 DEG RADIAL.' I THINK NORMALLY I WOULD START THE TURN JUST BELOW PATTERN ALT WITHOUT A SPECIAL INSTRUCTION. TWR CTLRS WERE VERY, VERY BUSY WITH LOTS OF LNDG AND DEPARTING TFC AND A LARGE MIX OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACFT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ASK FOR ALT AT WHICH TO START THE TURN.

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.