C172 pilot has a track and heading deviation departing emt.

Attributes
ACN	716808
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : emt.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : emt.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1735 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	716808
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I received an IFR clearance from el monte ground back to john wayne airport. The ground controller asked me if I was familiar with the el monte departure procedure. I said I was reading it (I had only been to el monte once before on an IFR clearance and that was with an instructor). He had me advise him when ready to depart el monte airport. About 5 mins later I told him I was ready to depart. I contacted the tower and was cleared to take off. I climbed runway heading to 800 ft then I climbed right turn and intercepted the pdz VOR 278 degree radial from pdz VOR. After about 2 mi later I noticed my mistake I should have turned left to a 98 degree heading to pdz VOR. Instead of right I contacted el monte tower and they also told me I turned right instead of left. I said I thought I complied with the obstacle departure procedure and they said turn 180 degrees which I did and I followed the procedure. I realize I was wrong. I turned right because I interpreted the procedure as wanting me to intercept pdz 278 degree radial I did not interpret it to turn 98 degrees to the pdz VOR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAS A TRACK AND HDG DEV DEPARTING EMT.

Narrative: I RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC FROM EL MONTE GND BACK TO JOHN WAYNE ARPT. THE GND CTLR ASKED ME IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE EL MONTE DEP PROC. I SAID I WAS READING IT (I HAD ONLY BEEN TO EL MONTE ONCE BEFORE ON AN IFR CLRNC AND THAT WAS WITH AN INSTRUCTOR). HE HAD ME ADVISE HIM WHEN READY TO DEPART EL MONTE ARPT. ABOUT 5 MINS LATER I TOLD HIM I WAS READY TO DEPART. I CONTACTED THE TWR AND WAS CLRED TO TAKE OFF. I CLBED RWY HDG TO 800 FT THEN I CLBED R TURN AND INTERCEPTED THE PDZ VOR 278 DEG RADIAL FROM PDZ VOR. AFTER ABOUT 2 MI LATER I NOTICED MY MISTAKE I SHOULD HAVE TURNED L TO A 98 DEG HDG TO PDZ VOR. INSTEAD OF R I CONTACTED EL MONTE TWR AND THEY ALSO TOLD ME I TURNED R INSTEAD OF L. I SAID I THOUGHT I COMPLIED WITH THE OBSTACLE DEP PROC AND THEY SAID TURN 180 DEGS WHICH I DID AND I FOLLOWED THE PROC. I REALIZE I WAS WRONG. I TURNED R BECAUSE I INTERPRETED THE PROC AS WANTING ME TO INTERCEPT PDZ 278 DEG RADIAL I DID NOT INTERPRET IT TO TURN 98 DEGS TO THE PDZ VOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.