Narrative:

I told dca clearance delivery that my VFR route of flight would be direct eno, then rbv, direct N07 (lincoln park, nj). En route at 2500 ft, I had flight following and was handed over from andrews radar to baltimore approach who asked my 'present heading.' I reported '075 degrees.' when asked 'destination,' I answered 'N07 via eno and rbv.' a few mins later, I turned to 100 degrees to center the obs for eno. ATC called me and asked why I turned from 075 degrees to 100 degrees. I responded 'to track to eno.' he scolded me for making a course deviation from 075 degrees. I replied that I thought he understood I was going to eno. He said I 'missed the point,' then terminated flight following and said, 'now you can go where you want.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PVT PLT AT 2500 FT HAS A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH APCH CTLR REGARDING WHAT HDG HE IS ALLOWED TO FLY WHILE 7 MI NE OF BWI, MD.

Narrative: I TOLD DCA CLRNC DELIVERY THAT MY VFR RTE OF FLT WOULD BE DIRECT ENO, THEN RBV, DIRECT N07 (LINCOLN PARK, NJ). ENRTE AT 2500 FT, I HAD FLT FOLLOWING AND WAS HANDED OVER FROM ANDREWS RADAR TO BALTIMORE APCH WHO ASKED MY 'PRESENT HDG.' I RPTED '075 DEGS.' WHEN ASKED 'DEST,' I ANSWERED 'N07 VIA ENO AND RBV.' A FEW MINS LATER, I TURNED TO 100 DEGS TO CTR THE OBS FOR ENO. ATC CALLED ME AND ASKED WHY I TURNED FROM 075 DEGS TO 100 DEGS. I RESPONDED 'TO TRACK TO ENO.' HE SCOLDED ME FOR MAKING A COURSE DEV FROM 075 DEGS. I REPLIED THAT I THOUGHT HE UNDERSTOOD I WAS GOING TO ENO. HE SAID I 'MISSED THE POINT,' THEN TERMINATED FLT FOLLOWING AND SAID, 'NOW YOU CAN GO WHERE YOU WANT.'

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.