A C152 private pilot makes too early a turn at 450 ft when departure runway 9R at fll, fl.

Attributes
ACN	431843
Time
Date	199903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 450
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fll.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 354 flight time type : 330
ASRS Report	431843
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Airspace Structure Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was given takeoff clearance for runway 9R at fll airport. I was squawking 1200 for a VFR flight to north perry airport, approximately 8 mi to the southwest. I took off and climbed until I was over the departure end of the runway, heading east, then started a right turn while climbing to the south, then southwest toward north perry airport. A few seconds after I started the right turn, the fll tower controller said, 'radar contact, what is your altitude?' I looked at my altimeter and replied '450 ft.' the tower did not say anything further. I then asked for a frequency change to north perry tower, which was granted. I then started wondering why the controller had asked for my altitude. Had I missed a call requesting me to fly east on the runway heading up to a certain altitude before making the turn? Or had I been asked to wait for tower approval before making the turn? Or had I turned out at too low an altitude? I had flown this flight path on numerous occasions and had always been allowed to make an immediate right turn to the southwest, so that is what I was expecting and that is what I did. If I was told to do otherwise, my mind did not hear it under the assumption that the routing would be the same as on previous occasions. What I should have done -- and what I will do in the future -- is to verbally request an immediate turnout and verify the reply I get from the tower controller. The controller never asked me to call the tower via phone, nor did the controller ever say anything regarding the altitude, so I'm not even sure if I made a mistake, but I did learn a valuable lesson. Always get verbal confirmation rather than assume what I think to be true.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C152 PVT PLT MAKES TOO EARLY A TURN AT 450 FT WHEN DEP RWY 9R AT FLL, FL.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN TKOF CLRNC FOR RWY 9R AT FLL ARPT. I WAS SQUAWKING 1200 FOR A VFR FLT TO NORTH PERRY ARPT, APPROX 8 MI TO THE SW. I TOOK OFF AND CLBED UNTIL I WAS OVER THE DEP END OF THE RWY, HDG E, THEN STARTED A R TURN WHILE CLBING TO THE S, THEN SW TOWARD NORTH PERRY ARPT. A FEW SECONDS AFTER I STARTED THE R TURN, THE FLL TWR CTLR SAID, 'RADAR CONTACT, WHAT IS YOUR ALT?' I LOOKED AT MY ALTIMETER AND REPLIED '450 FT.' THE TWR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING FURTHER. I THEN ASKED FOR A FREQ CHANGE TO NORTH PERRY TWR, WHICH WAS GRANTED. I THEN STARTED WONDERING WHY THE CTLR HAD ASKED FOR MY ALT. HAD I MISSED A CALL REQUESTING ME TO FLY E ON THE RWY HDG UP TO A CERTAIN ALT BEFORE MAKING THE TURN? OR HAD I BEEN ASKED TO WAIT FOR TWR APPROVAL BEFORE MAKING THE TURN? OR HAD I TURNED OUT AT TOO LOW AN ALT? I HAD FLOWN THIS FLT PATH ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAD ALWAYS BEEN ALLOWED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO THE SW, SO THAT IS WHAT I WAS EXPECTING AND THAT IS WHAT I DID. IF I WAS TOLD TO DO OTHERWISE, MY MIND DID NOT HEAR IT UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ROUTING WOULD BE THE SAME AS ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE -- AND WHAT I WILL DO IN THE FUTURE -- IS TO VERBALLY REQUEST AN IMMEDIATE TURNOUT AND VERIFY THE REPLY I GET FROM THE TWR CTLR. THE CTLR NEVER ASKED ME TO CALL THE TWR VIA PHONE, NOR DID THE CTLR EVER SAY ANYTHING REGARDING THE ALT, SO I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF I MADE A MISTAKE, BUT I DID LEARN A VALUABLE LESSON. ALWAYS GET VERBAL CONFIRMATION RATHER THAN ASSUME WHAT I THINK TO BE TRUE.

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.