Departure controller detects wrong direction of flight by aircraft just off of crp, tx.

Attributes
ACN	473280
Time
Date	200005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crp.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : crp.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Cessna 401
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was departing crp on runway 15. Tower told me I was clear to take off on runway 15, turn left heading 130 degrees. As I was turning to 130 degrees, and tower passed me on to crp departure, I checked in at 1500 ft. 1 min passed and departure asked what my assigned heading was. I said 130 degrees. As he said that, I looked at my magnetic compass and discovered that I forgot to set it. Then approach told me to turn to 090 degrees to avoid traffic. I ended up turning to about a 060 degree heading. The mistake was when I forgot to set my magnetic compass during the runup.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR DETECTS WRONG DIRECTION OF FLT BY ACFT JUST OFF OF CRP, TX.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING CRP ON RWY 15. TWR TOLD ME I WAS CLR TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 15, TURN L HDG 130 DEGS. AS I WAS TURNING TO 130 DEGS, AND TWR PASSED ME ON TO CRP DEP, I CHKED IN AT 1500 FT. 1 MIN PASSED AND DEP ASKED WHAT MY ASSIGNED HDG WAS. I SAID 130 DEGS. AS HE SAID THAT, I LOOKED AT MY MAGNETIC COMPASS AND DISCOVERED THAT I FORGOT TO SET IT. THEN APCH TOLD ME TO TURN TO 090 DEGS TO AVOID TFC. I ENDED UP TURNING TO ABOUT A 060 DEG HDG. THE MISTAKE WAS WHEN I FORGOT TO SET MY MAGNETIC COMPASS DURING THE RUNUP.

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.