Narrative:

I departed lbe knowing that this is mountainous terrain east of me (my on-course heading on the flight plan). I do not remember whether I was cleared on course or cleared to fly runway heading. I remained on runway heading during climb out to avoid mountainous terrain. I was handed off to ZOB who asked me what my instructions were. I told them that it was to fly runway heading. There was silence (probably ZOB was checking with latrobe tower). Thus, controllers stated I was cleared for on-course heading. Airport elevation is approximately 1200 ft. I was between 3300-3500 ft and climbing within 2 mi of the airport. Controllers seemed very irate and told me to fly on course, which I did because by then I was at 4000 ft and could clear obstacle. Controller was irate but no arguments took place. In fact, I apologized for the misunderstanding. The reason I am submitting this is because someone unfamiliar with this airport and flying in IFR with mountainous obscuration and following the controller's instructions to the letter would wind up turning into the mountains! Incidentally, there is a SID 'pleez' departure for this airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH BARON 55 PLT FAILED TO TURN AFTER TKOF FROM RWY HDG DUE TO HIGH RISING TERRAIN DURING AN IFR DEP. CTR CTLR STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN CLRED TO TURN ON COURSE. HOWEVER, THERE HAD BEEN NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED LBE KNOWING THAT THIS IS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN E OF ME (MY ON-COURSE HDG ON THE FLT PLAN). I DO NOT REMEMBER WHETHER I WAS CLRED ON COURSE OR CLRED TO FLY RWY HDG. I REMAINED ON RWY HDG DURING CLBOUT TO AVOID MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. I WAS HANDED OFF TO ZOB WHO ASKED ME WHAT MY INSTRUCTIONS WERE. I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS TO FLY RWY HDG. THERE WAS SILENCE (PROBABLY ZOB WAS CHKING WITH LATROBE TWR). THUS, CTLRS STATED I WAS CLRED FOR ON-COURSE HDG. ARPT ELEVATION IS APPROX 1200 FT. I WAS BTWN 3300-3500 FT AND CLBING WITHIN 2 MI OF THE ARPT. CTLRS SEEMED VERY IRATE AND TOLD ME TO FLY ON COURSE, WHICH I DID BECAUSE BY THEN I WAS AT 4000 FT AND COULD CLR OBSTACLE. CTLR WAS IRATE BUT NO ARGUMENTS TOOK PLACE. IN FACT, I APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING. THE REASON I AM SUBMITTING THIS IS BECAUSE SOMEONE UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS ARPT AND FLYING IN IFR WITH MOUNTAINOUS OBSCURATION AND FOLLOWING THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER WOULD WIND UP TURNING INTO THE MOUNTAINS! INCIDENTALLY, THERE IS A SID 'PLEEZ' DEP FOR THIS ARPT.

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.