C172 pilot deviates from cleared route in phx airspace.

Attributes
ACN	422800
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdl
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 315 flight time type : 209
ASRS Report	422800
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to blh via 260 degree heading to intercept pxr 270 degree radial nwbound. Needed to do VOR check in air per crash fire rescue equipment 91.171. During initial climb, aircraft had slight but unusual vibration. While trying to do the VOR check, switched communication frequencys. While distraction by the vibration, I forgot all about the pxr 270 degree radial. The controller only said, 'fly heading 260 degrees, maintain 5000 ft' which, at the time, sounded odd because that was what I was already doing. Only later did I realize my error. I am not sure if I had reached the radial by the time I got the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT DEVIATES FROM CLRED RTE IN PHX AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CLRED TO BLH VIA 260 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT PXR 270 DEG RADIAL NWBOUND. NEEDED TO DO VOR CHK IN AIR PER CFR 91.171. DURING INITIAL CLB, ACFT HAD SLIGHT BUT UNUSUAL VIBRATION. WHILE TRYING TO DO THE VOR CHK, SWITCHED COM FREQS. WHILE DISTR BY THE VIBRATION, I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE PXR 270 DEG RADIAL. THE CTLR ONLY SAID, 'FLY HDG 260 DEGS, MAINTAIN 5000 FT' WHICH, AT THE TIME, SOUNDED ODD BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT I WAS ALREADY DOING. ONLY LATER DID I REALIZE MY ERROR. I AM NOT SURE IF I HAD REACHED THE RADIAL BY THE TIME I GOT THE CLRNC.

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.