Narrative:

Filed IFR plan to sff, spokane. Briefer advised that they will want to include north town 1 departure in flight plan. So I filed, vgt NT1 departure direct bty, oal, fmg, rio, etc, on to geg direct sff. North las vegas gave an all clear. Spokane via north town 1 departure, except to be at 7000 ft 10 DME from las VOR, expect 26000 ft 10 mins later. Direct hiden direct bty, squawk XXXX, departure frequency assigned. Taxi runway 7, cross runway 7 taxi to runway 12R. Then cleared to takeoff, runway 12R. Climb to 4400 ft turn to 250 degrees, before intercepting the las 310 degree radial for north town 1 departure, given change to departure frequency, asked to identify, given radar contact 11 mi northwest of airport, then advised to climb 15000 ft? Still heading 250 degrees direct hiden intersection, started climb remained on 250 degree heading, direct hiden. Controller asked what was my heading. I advised 250 degrees. Controller then quizzed me as to what I was cleared for. Now confusion set in the conversation. I read back what I was given by nlv tower? What does he want me to do? I thought when he gave me radar contact, and then climb to 15000 ft that he would now vector me as this heading 250 degrees was direct intersection hiden. I did not want to argue with him at this time. Told him I was confused about the situation because I had been given nt-1 departure, las direct intersection hiden direct bty. In my mind I did not continue the NT1 departure because of the radar contact, climb to 15000 ft. My instruments were all set up for NT1 departure and GPS and LORAN set for direct intersection hiden when questioned by controller. The manner that he posed his questions to me caused confusion? He did not give me any traffic. Did not tell me to get back on the NT1 departure. Instead he wanted me to tell him who gave me direct hiden. I told him I was confused as to what he now wanted me to do. I was then given a terrain advisory. It was clear and I could see the mountains ahead. Advised controller I could see well ahead and my rate of climb 1500 FPM was no problem. During this time of confusion he gave me a telephone number to call when I landed. I did so when I arrived at sff 3 hours 30 mins later and was told they were filing a report on me. I may have assumed incorrectly but the controller didn't help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA46 PLT APPEARED TO HAVE A TRACK DEV IN L30 CLASS B.

Narrative: FILED IFR PLAN TO SFF, SPOKANE. BRIEFER ADVISED THAT THEY WILL WANT TO INCLUDE N TOWN 1 DEP IN FLT PLAN. SO I FILED, VGT NT1 DEP DIRECT BTY, OAL, FMG, RIO, ETC, ON TO GEG DIRECT SFF. N LAS VEGAS GAVE AN ALL CLR. SPOKANE VIA N TOWN 1 DEP, EXCEPT TO BE AT 7000 FT 10 DME FROM LAS VOR, EXPECT 26000 FT 10 MINS LATER. DIRECT HIDEN DIRECT BTY, SQUAWK XXXX, DEP FREQ ASSIGNED. TAXI RWY 7, CROSS RWY 7 TAXI TO RWY 12R. THEN CLRED TO TAKEOFF, RWY 12R. CLB TO 4400 FT TURN TO 250 DEGS, BEFORE INTERCEPTING THE LAS 310 DEG RADIAL FOR N TOWN 1 DEP, GIVEN CHANGE TO DEP FREQ, ASKED TO IDENT, GIVEN RADAR CONTACT 11 MI NW OF ARPT, THEN ADVISED TO CLB 15000 FT? STILL HEADING 250 DEGS DIRECT HIDEN INTXN, STARTED CLB REMAINED ON 250 DEG HDG, DIRECT HIDEN. CTLR ASKED WHAT WAS MY HEADING. I ADVISED 250 DEGS. CTLR THEN QUIZZED ME AS TO WHAT I WAS CLRED FOR. NOW CONFUSION SET IN THE CONVERSATION. I READ BACK WHAT I WAS GIVEN BY NLV TWR? WHAT DOES HE WANT ME TO DO? I THOUGHT WHEN HE GAVE ME RADAR CONTACT, AND THEN CLB TO 15000 FT THAT HE WOULD NOW VECTOR ME AS THIS HEADING 250 DEGS WAS DIRECT INTXN HIDEN. I DID NOT WANT TO ARGUE WITH HIM AT THIS TIME. TOLD HIM I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT THE SIT BECAUSE I HAD BEEN GIVEN NT-1 DEP, LAS DIRECT INTXN HIDEN DIRECT BTY. IN MY MIND I DID NOT CONTINUE THE NT1 DEP BECAUSE OF THE RADAR CONTACT, CLB TO 15000 FT. MY INSTS WERE ALL SET UP FOR NT1 DEP AND GPS AND LORAN SET FOR DIRECT INTXN HIDEN WHEN QUESTIONED BY CTLR. THE MANNER THAT HE POSED HIS QUESTIONS TO ME CAUSED CONFUSION? HE DID NOT GIVE ME ANY TFC. DID NOT TELL ME TO GET BACK ON THE NT1 DEP. INSTEAD HE WANTED ME TO TELL HIM WHO GAVE ME DIRECT HIDEN. I TOLD HIM I WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHAT HE NOW WANTED ME TO DO. I WAS THEN GIVEN A TERRAIN ADVISORY. IT WAS CLR AND I COULD SEE THE MOUNTAINS AHEAD. ADVISED CTLR I COULD SEE WELL AHEAD AND MY RATE OF CLB 1500 FPM WAS NO PROB. DURING THIS TIME OF CONFUSION HE GAVE ME A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CALL WHEN I LANDED. I DID SO WHEN I ARRIVED AT SFF 3 HRS 30 MINS LATER AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE FILING A RPT ON ME. I MAY HAVE ASSUMED INCORRECTLY BUT THE CTLR DIDN'T HELP.

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.