Mooney pilot receives confusing clearance from controller.

Attributes
ACN	436350
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : eni.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 F Executive 21
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : v494.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	436350
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I received an IFR clearance, on the ground, from ZOA. The routing was 'cleared to mendocino VOR, V494 santa rosa (sts), V108 concord.' after takeoff, I established a downwind departure from the ukiah traffic pattern. At this time, ZOA stated 'radar contact -- sebound.' my position at this time was approximately 5 NM northwest of the mendocino VOR. The controller's statement 'sebound' was interpreted as cleared to proceed southeast to intercept V494. This mistaken assumption was supported by the controller's silence over the next several mins. Nearing V494 interception, (approximately 15 NM south of mendocino VOR) the controller questioned my routing. I responded that I was 'coming up on V494.' he stated that this 'could be a problem.' he never explained the potential 'problem' -- and there was no further conversation about the routing. There are 2 points: 1) saying nothing more, early into the flight, than 'sebound' gave the impression that the more direct method of V494 interception was cleared and 2) if there was a 'problem' with the routing, he should have said something earlier, when there was time to correct the direction of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY PLT RECEIVES CONFUSING CLRNC FROM CTLR.

Narrative: I RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC, ON THE GND, FROM ZOA. THE ROUTING WAS 'CLRED TO MENDOCINO VOR, V494 SANTA ROSA (STS), V108 CONCORD.' AFTER TKOF, I ESTABLISHED A DOWNWIND DEP FROM THE UKIAH TFC PATTERN. AT THIS TIME, ZOA STATED 'RADAR CONTACT -- SEBOUND.' MY POS AT THIS TIME WAS APPROX 5 NM NW OF THE MENDOCINO VOR. THE CTLR'S STATEMENT 'SEBOUND' WAS INTERPRETED AS CLRED TO PROCEED SE TO INTERCEPT V494. THIS MISTAKEN ASSUMPTION WAS SUPPORTED BY THE CTLR'S SILENCE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MINS. NEARING V494 INTERCEPTION, (APPROX 15 NM S OF MENDOCINO VOR) THE CTLR QUESTIONED MY ROUTING. I RESPONDED THAT I WAS 'COMING UP ON V494.' HE STATED THAT THIS 'COULD BE A PROB.' HE NEVER EXPLAINED THE POTENTIAL 'PROB' -- AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ROUTING. THERE ARE 2 POINTS: 1) SAYING NOTHING MORE, EARLY INTO THE FLT, THAN 'SEBOUND' GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE MORE DIRECT METHOD OF V494 INTERCEPTION WAS CLRED AND 2) IF THERE WAS A 'PROB' WITH THE ROUTING, HE SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING EARLIER, WHEN THERE WAS TIME TO CORRECT THE DIRECTION OF FLT.

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.