Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight psp to myf, single pilot with 1 child on board. I received clearance from psp as follows: cleared myf via psp 4 departure, direct trm, V514, mzb direct myf. After departure, during the climb, I was given a couple of radar vectors, then direct trm, V514, mzb direct, contact ZLA. I interpreted the instructions to go trm and mzb direct, contact ZLA. After crossing trm, I turned direct mzb and contacted ZLA. The controller was extremely busy. Approximately 10 mins later, the controller informed me I was not on course, and asked where I was going. I told controller I thought psp had given me trm and then mzb direct. Controller told me I was wrong and that psp would not have given me direct. Controller told me to make an immediate 50 degree turn to the left, I was below MEA. Because I was below the MEA, I made a climbing 50 degree turn to the left. The controller then told me I was 600 ft above assigned altitude. I made the necessary correction and leveled off at 10000 ft. Controller then said I was 'centerline' and I thought controller said 'on line.' I proceeded to shoot through the airway. The controller then announced I had shot through V514 and sent me direct jln, V514, mzb direct. Again, I interpreted direct jln then mzb direct. I was handed off to myf approach, who set me up for the ILS runway 28, which, believe it or not, I actually shot with proficiency. After landing, I was told to contact ZLA. Item(south) that led to my demise: I was boi-myf for additional instrument training, single pilot. This was the first flight in my plane since loosing an engine at altitude (2 months prior). Therefore, I was a bit apprehensive. I was 5 1/2 hours into a 4 hour trip, with 1 unplanned fuel stop. Departing psp, conditions were hot, bumpy and hazy, with a lot of traffic in the area. I was unfamiliar with the airspace and route. I had little or no cockpit organization. I became flustered and fell behind the airplane. I had absolutely no idea where V514 was or how to get on it. Once the controller lost patience and started verbally venting her frustration at me (eventually asking me to verify that I was 'actually' instrument rated) my only goal was to fly and land the plane safely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C340 PLT EXPERIENCED ALTDEV, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS COURSE DEVS ENRTE FROM PALM SPRINGS TO SAN DIEGO.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PSP TO MYF, SINGLE PLT WITH 1 CHILD ON BOARD. I RECEIVED CLRNC FROM PSP AS FOLLOWS: CLRED MYF VIA PSP 4 DEP, DIRECT TRM, V514, MZB DIRECT MYF. AFTER DEP, DURING THE CLB, I WAS GIVEN A COUPLE OF RADAR VECTORS, THEN DIRECT TRM, V514, MZB DIRECT, CONTACT ZLA. I INTERPED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO GO TRM AND MZB DIRECT, CONTACT ZLA. AFTER XING TRM, I TURNED DIRECT MZB AND CONTACTED ZLA. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. APPROX 10 MINS LATER, THE CTLR INFORMED ME I WAS NOT ON COURSE, AND ASKED WHERE I WAS GOING. I TOLD CTLR I THOUGHT PSP HAD GIVEN ME TRM AND THEN MZB DIRECT. CTLR TOLD ME I WAS WRONG AND THAT PSP WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN ME DIRECT. CTLR TOLD ME TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE 50 DEG TURN TO THE L, I WAS BELOW MEA. BECAUSE I WAS BELOW THE MEA, I MADE A CLBING 50 DEG TURN TO THE L. THE CTLR THEN TOLD ME I WAS 600 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT. I MADE THE NECESSARY CORRECTION AND LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT. CTLR THEN SAID I WAS 'CTRLINE' AND I THOUGHT CTLR SAID 'ON LINE.' I PROCEEDED TO SHOOT THROUGH THE AIRWAY. THE CTLR THEN ANNOUNCED I HAD SHOT THROUGH V514 AND SENT ME DIRECT JLN, V514, MZB DIRECT. AGAIN, I INTERPED DIRECT JLN THEN MZB DIRECT. I WAS HANDED OFF TO MYF APCH, WHO SET ME UP FOR THE ILS RWY 28, WHICH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I ACTUALLY SHOT WITH PROFICIENCY. AFTER LNDG, I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT ZLA. ITEM(S) THAT LED TO MY DEMISE: I WAS BOI-MYF FOR ADDITIONAL INST TRAINING, SINGLE PLT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT IN MY PLANE SINCE LOOSING AN ENG AT ALT (2 MONTHS PRIOR). THEREFORE, I WAS A BIT APPREHENSIVE. I WAS 5 1/2 HRS INTO A 4 HR TRIP, WITH 1 UNPLANNED FUEL STOP. DEPARTING PSP, CONDITIONS WERE HOT, BUMPY AND HAZY, WITH A LOT OF TFC IN THE AREA. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRSPACE AND RTE. I HAD LITTLE OR NO COCKPIT ORGANIZATION. I BECAME FLUSTERED AND FELL BEHIND THE AIRPLANE. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHERE V514 WAS OR HOW TO GET ON IT. ONCE THE CTLR LOST PATIENCE AND STARTED VERBALLY VENTING HER FRUSTRATION AT ME (EVENTUALLY ASKING ME TO VERIFY THAT I WAS 'ACTUALLY' INST RATED) MY ONLY GOAL WAS TO FLY AND LAND THE PLANE SAFELY.

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.