Narrative:

I was departing love field to shv, la. Received the following clearance: cleared to shv, hubbard 3 departure, quitman transition, direct beleher, direct shv, after takeoff turn to heading 340 degrees, maintain 2000 ft, expect 9000 ft 10 mins, departure 124.3, squawk XXXX. Tower cleared me for immediate takeoff but didn't give me a heading. Without a heading assignment by tower, I reverted to my clearance. On climb out, I turned to 340 degrees and about 1500 ft MSL I intercepted the maverick 084 degree radial which is the instruction for hubbard 3 departure. Prior to reaching the 084 degree radial, tower turned me over to regional departure 124.3. Departure was extremely busy and I wasn't able to report until I had intercepted the 084 degree radial. I turned on course (084 degrees), leveled off at 2000 ft and reported level at 2000 ft on 084 degree heading. The controller asked me if I had turned to 084 degrees on my own. I replied that I was following the quitman transition. He told me I should have stayed on the 340 degree heading until I was told to do otherwise. He asked me to call back upon reaching shv, which I did. We had a very useful discussion, and in the future this will not happen again. This situation could have been avoided if the tower had assigned the 340 degree heading upon departure. In the absence of heading instruction from the tower, I reverted to my clearance delivery instructions. I plan on calling the tower operations at love so I will have a better understanding of their expectations in future departures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAD TRACK DEV DEPARTING DAL.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING LOVE FIELD TO SHV, LA. RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC: CLRED TO SHV, HUBBARD 3 DEP, QUITMAN TRANSITION, DIRECT BELEHER, DIRECT SHV, AFTER TKOF TURN TO HDG 340 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2000 FT, EXPECT 9000 FT 10 MINS, DEP 124.3, SQUAWK XXXX. TWR CLRED ME FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF BUT DIDN'T GIVE ME A HDG. WITHOUT A HDG ASSIGNMENT BY TWR, I REVERTED TO MY CLRNC. ON CLBOUT, I TURNED TO 340 DEGS AND ABOUT 1500 FT MSL I INTERCEPTED THE MAVERICK 084 DEG RADIAL WHICH IS THE INSTRUCTION FOR HUBBARD 3 DEP. PRIOR TO REACHING THE 084 DEG RADIAL, TWR TURNED ME OVER TO REGIONAL DEP 124.3. DEP WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND I WASN'T ABLE TO RPT UNTIL I HAD INTERCEPTED THE 084 DEG RADIAL. I TURNED ON COURSE (084 DEGS), LEVELED OFF AT 2000 FT AND RPTED LEVEL AT 2000 FT ON 084 DEG HDG. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I HAD TURNED TO 084 DEGS ON MY OWN. I REPLIED THAT I WAS FOLLOWING THE QUITMAN TRANSITION. HE TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON THE 340 DEG HDG UNTIL I WAS TOLD TO DO OTHERWISE. HE ASKED ME TO CALL BACK UPON REACHING SHV, WHICH I DID. WE HAD A VERY USEFUL DISCUSSION, AND IN THE FUTURE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE TWR HAD ASSIGNED THE 340 DEG HDG UPON DEP. IN THE ABSENCE OF HDG INSTRUCTION FROM THE TWR, I REVERTED TO MY CLRNC DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS. I PLAN ON CALLING THE TWR OPS AT LOVE SO I WILL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR EXPECTATIONS IN FUTURE DEPS.

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.