Narrative:

ATC clearance was takeoff runway 15L at sba, fly runway heading, vectors fillmore, V386, palmdale to 67L (mesquite, nv), climb to 3000 ft expect 13000 ft 5 min departure, 120.55 squawk xx. After takeoff controller had me make left turn to about 140 degrees and then another left to 010 degrees which was almost 90 degrees to direction of fillmore, I had him repeat heading and I thought he said fillmore 'when able.' but he says 'vectors' fillmore. At 10000 ft, I reported that I was receiving fillmore and hence turned right to 060 degrees direct fillmore. 2 or 3 mins later, sba departure handed off to ZLA. After 2-3 mins ZLA asked my heading and I said '060 degrees' direct fillmore. He wanted to know where I got such a clearance. I said sba departure. He came back after a land line call to sba departure and said they did not clear to fillmore but gave me the 010 degree heading for traffic. ZLA then gave heading of 040 degrees and said I could expect a direct palmdale. Traffic was never mentioned by sba departure. Conclusion and recommendations: when a controling facility gives a heading so contrary to the proposed direction of flight that a reason be given, ie, traffic terrain, or the phrase maintain such and such heading through an altitude. Since my original clearance said I was to go from fillmore to palmdale on V386, I was set to go to fillmore, but that's not ATC's plan -- they plan to vector you north and direct palmdale. Why not leave out the fillmore and V386 part of the clearance?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT INTERPRETS CLRNC ISSUED BY SBA DEP CTL AND TURNS ON COURSE AS FILED. AFTER COMS XFER TO ZLA, ZLA CTLR QUESTIONS HEADING CLRNC AND CORRECTS PLT'S ROUTING.

Narrative: ATC CLRNC WAS TKOF RWY 15L AT SBA, FLY RWY HEADING, VECTORS FILLMORE, V386, PALMDALE TO 67L (MESQUITE, NV), CLB TO 3000 FT EXPECT 13000 FT 5 MIN DEP, 120.55 SQUAWK XX. AFTER TKOF CTLR HAD ME MAKE L TURN TO ABOUT 140 DEGS AND THEN ANOTHER L TO 010 DEGS WHICH WAS ALMOST 90 DEGS TO DIRECTION OF FILLMORE, I HAD HIM REPEAT HEADING AND I THOUGHT HE SAID FILLMORE 'WHEN ABLE.' BUT HE SAYS 'VECTORS' FILLMORE. AT 10000 FT, I RPTED THAT I WAS RECEIVING FILLMORE AND HENCE TURNED R TO 060 DEGS DIRECT FILLMORE. 2 OR 3 MINS LATER, SBA DEP HANDED OFF TO ZLA. AFTER 2-3 MINS ZLA ASKED MY HEADING AND I SAID '060 DEGS' DIRECT FILLMORE. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I GOT SUCH A CLRNC. I SAID SBA DEP. HE CAME BACK AFTER A LAND LINE CALL TO SBA DEP AND SAID THEY DID NOT CLR TO FILLMORE BUT GAVE ME THE 010 DEG HDG FOR TFC. ZLA THEN GAVE HDG OF 040 DEGS AND SAID I COULD EXPECT A DIRECT PALMDALE. TFC WAS NEVER MENTIONED BY SBA DEP. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: WHEN A CTLING FACILITY GIVES A HEADING SO CONTRARY TO THE PROPOSED DIRECTION OF FLT THAT A REASON BE GIVEN, IE, TFC TERRAIN, OR THE PHRASE MAINTAIN SUCH AND SUCH HEADING THROUGH AN ALT. SINCE MY ORIGINAL CLRNC SAID I WAS TO GO FROM FILLMORE TO PALMDALE ON V386, I WAS SET TO GO TO FILLMORE, BUT THAT'S NOT ATC'S PLAN -- THEY PLAN TO VECTOR YOU N AND DIRECT PALMDALE. WHY NOT LEAVE OUT THE FILLMORE AND V386 PART OF 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.