Narrative:

Departed jbr IFR cleared direct dal (heading 240 degrees) 2000 ft. After liftoff from runway 5, I turned left. In my turn, FSS advised me of developing storms southwest of jbr and recommended southeast departure for 10-15 mi before turning on course. I questioned this, as it made more sense to me to go west then turn southwest on course after past storms. FSS briefer again said southeast departure is best option. Since he had more information than I, I decided his recommendation is best choice. (Also briefers have always been reliable to me in the past.) I then turned right to 240 degrees and in my turn checked in with center and requested 150 degree heading. I was leveling off at 2000 ft then also. Center did not care for this because of mem class B approach airspace. I explained why I wanted 150 degrees. He asked my location and I told him 7 mi south of jbr VOR (I actually was 7.2 mi on 200 degree radial). He let me go a short distance on 150 degree heading (I stopped on 150 degrees on my right turn to 240 degrees). He then wanted me to go to 240 degrees, so I did. This put me right in developing storms. Continuous moderate turbulence (occasionally severe). My radar showed multiple intense areas. The strongest returns were directly in front of me. I also had several intense echoes off to my left and one to my right. I was level at 3000 ft by now (I believe) and ATC was still not picking up my transponder. The frequency was very busy and I couldn't find a good break to request a turn to the right. I turned right to try to avoid the largest returns and planned on just moving right approximately 2 mi. At that point I was heading approximately 270 degrees bouncing strongly from 260-280 degrees (lots of yaw). The controller asked my heading and I told him. He was quite upset and told me that I can't just fly anywhere I want to. I tried to explain the situation briefly. Then I was instructed to climb. They picked up my transponder and the rest of the trip was uneventful. Problem: I turned right, off of assigned vector without center's approval. Stressors for me: continuous moderate turbulence (occasionally severe). IMC, DME off jbr VOR was not working ( I used GPS). Fear of going into developing storms. Stressed that controller was upset with me because of 150 degree heading. Fear of loss of control. I lost anr at liftoff (very noisy). Stressors for controller: not knowing exactly where I was (no transponder return). Afraid I would approach mem's approach airspace. Felt I was renegade pilot (went to 270 degrees without permission). I believe there was an aircraft approaching jbr from east (4000 ft). Busy frequency. If I had to do it again: turn left after liftoff to 240 degrees as planned and ask ZME for vectors west or northwest to avoid developing storms. Be more assertive in requesting heading change.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE58 PLT DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ATC HDG TO AVOID TSTM CELLS PAINTED ON THE ACFT WX RADAR.

Narrative: DEPARTED JBR IFR CLRED DIRECT DAL (HDG 240 DEGS) 2000 FT. AFTER LIFTOFF FROM RWY 5, I TURNED L. IN MY TURN, FSS ADVISED ME OF DEVELOPING STORMS SW OF JBR AND RECOMMENDED SE DEP FOR 10-15 MI BEFORE TURNING ON COURSE. I QUESTIONED THIS, AS IT MADE MORE SENSE TO ME TO GO W THEN TURN SW ON COURSE AFTER PAST STORMS. FSS BRIEFER AGAIN SAID SE DEP IS BEST OPTION. SINCE HE HAD MORE INFO THAN I, I DECIDED HIS RECOMMENDATION IS BEST CHOICE. (ALSO BRIEFERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RELIABLE TO ME IN THE PAST.) I THEN TURNED R TO 240 DEGS AND IN MY TURN CHKED IN WITH CTR AND REQUESTED 150 DEG HDG. I WAS LEVELING OFF AT 2000 FT THEN ALSO. CTR DID NOT CARE FOR THIS BECAUSE OF MEM CLASS B APCH AIRSPACE. I EXPLAINED WHY I WANTED 150 DEGS. HE ASKED MY LOCATION AND I TOLD HIM 7 MI S OF JBR VOR (I ACTUALLY WAS 7.2 MI ON 200 DEG RADIAL). HE LET ME GO A SHORT DISTANCE ON 150 DEG HDG (I STOPPED ON 150 DEGS ON MY R TURN TO 240 DEGS). HE THEN WANTED ME TO GO TO 240 DEGS, SO I DID. THIS PUT ME RIGHT IN DEVELOPING STORMS. CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB (OCCASIONALLY SEVERE). MY RADAR SHOWED MULTIPLE INTENSE AREAS. THE STRONGEST RETURNS WERE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I ALSO HAD SEVERAL INTENSE ECHOES OFF TO MY L AND ONE TO MY R. I WAS LEVEL AT 3000 FT BY NOW (I BELIEVE) AND ATC WAS STILL NOT PICKING UP MY XPONDER. THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AND I COULDN'T FIND A GOOD BREAK TO REQUEST A TURN TO THE R. I TURNED R TO TRY TO AVOID THE LARGEST RETURNS AND PLANNED ON JUST MOVING R APPROX 2 MI. AT THAT POINT I WAS HDG APPROX 270 DEGS BOUNCING STRONGLY FROM 260-280 DEGS (LOTS OF YAW). THE CTLR ASKED MY HDG AND I TOLD HIM. HE WAS QUITE UPSET AND TOLD ME THAT I CAN'T JUST FLY ANYWHERE I WANT TO. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THE SIT BRIEFLY. THEN I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLB. THEY PICKED UP MY XPONDER AND THE REST OF THE TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL. PROB: I TURNED R, OFF OF ASSIGNED VECTOR WITHOUT CTR'S APPROVAL. STRESSORS FOR ME: CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB (OCCASIONALLY SEVERE). IMC, DME OFF JBR VOR WAS NOT WORKING ( I USED GPS). FEAR OF GOING INTO DEVELOPING STORMS. STRESSED THAT CTLR WAS UPSET WITH ME BECAUSE OF 150 DEG HDG. FEAR OF LOSS OF CTL. I LOST ANR AT LIFTOFF (VERY NOISY). STRESSORS FOR CTLR: NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE I WAS (NO XPONDER RETURN). AFRAID I WOULD APCH MEM'S APCH AIRSPACE. FELT I WAS RENEGADE PLT (WENT TO 270 DEGS WITHOUT PERMISSION). I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ACFT APCHING JBR FROM E (4000 FT). BUSY FREQ. IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN: TURN L AFTER LIFTOFF TO 240 DEGS AS PLANNED AND ASK ZME FOR VECTORS W OR NW TO AVOID DEVELOPING STORMS. BE MORE ASSERTIVE IN REQUESTING HDG CHANGE.

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.