Pilot of an small transport departed using wrong SID.

Attributes
ACN	496540
Time
Date	200012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oak.tower tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : nimi 2.oak
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 370
ASRS Report	496540
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Chain: began with change of routine to destination. I began taxi out of cargo ramp (ground had instructed me to 'turn towards the tower,' which I did. However there are 2 towers, north and south -- I turned towards the one I saw -- north). This led to a change of assigned runway and new departure instructions. New assigned runway has no runup area to leave taxiway clear for other traffic -- also a busy area for taxiing aircraft positioning between north and south areas of field. Assigned departure was nimitz 2. In dimmed cockpit I pulled out nuevo 5 and briefed/set up navigation based on nuevo 5 for runway 27L. While on tower frequency, tower called 'are you read?' knowing I was blocking busy area, although I knew I had rushed, I replied in the affirmative. After takeoff, flew through the departure radial for nimitz 2, was queried by tower as to departure instructions. Was made aware of mistake and immediately turned towards and set correct departure radial. Deviation was approximately 1 1/2 - 2 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMT DEPARTED USING WRONG SID.

Narrative: CHAIN: BEGAN WITH CHANGE OF ROUTINE TO DEST. I BEGAN TAXI OUT OF CARGO RAMP (GND HAD INSTRUCTED ME TO 'TURN TOWARDS THE TWR,' WHICH I DID. HOWEVER THERE ARE 2 TWRS, N AND S -- I TURNED TOWARDS THE ONE I SAW -- N). THIS LED TO A CHANGE OF ASSIGNED RWY AND NEW DEP INSTRUCTIONS. NEW ASSIGNED RWY HAS NO RUNUP AREA TO LEAVE TXWY CLR FOR OTHER TFC -- ALSO A BUSY AREA FOR TAXIING ACFT POSITIONING BTWN N AND S AREAS OF FIELD. ASSIGNED DEP WAS NIMITZ 2. IN DIMMED COCKPIT I PULLED OUT NUEVO 5 AND BRIEFED/SET UP NAV BASED ON NUEVO 5 FOR RWY 27L. WHILE ON TWR FREQ, TWR CALLED 'ARE YOU READ?' KNOWING I WAS BLOCKING BUSY AREA, ALTHOUGH I KNEW I HAD RUSHED, I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AFTER TKOF, FLEW THROUGH THE DEP RADIAL FOR NIMITZ 2, WAS QUERIED BY TWR AS TO DEP INSTRUCTIONS. WAS MADE AWARE OF MISTAKE AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARDS AND SET CORRECT DEP RADIAL. DEV WAS APPROX 1 1/2 - 2 MI.

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.