Narrative:

As a recent IFR pilot, I am learning my way around the system. My experience thus far has taught me that the clearance assigned differ from the route filed, even after departure. After engine start and taxiing to the active, I received a clearance which only reflected my intended route in terms of departure point and destination. The flight was planned on L28 and the route from northeast philadelphia to alb was filed as, pne direct ard direct sjb, V249 sax, V213. The route required virtually no course changes. I obtained my clearance after runup, which took me to lhy and then to alb via V449. I reviewed my charts before accepting the clearance, noting that the route took me on a 70 mi detour to the west, and to the edge of my chart. Both lhy and alb were on the chart, along with a 33 mi segment of V449 into alb. It was not until I reached cruise altitude (about 15 mins after departure) and began setting up for the last portion of the flight, that I realized that I mistook the border of my chart as part of V449 from lhy. Philadelphia departure was not particularly pleased with my explanation, but allowed me to amend my clearance to: lhy V408 sages intersection, V489 alb. On the return from alb to pne, I obtained my clearance 'as filed' which was the reverse of my planned route to alb (V213 sax, V249 sjb, direct ard, direct pne). Shortly after departure, bos center amended my clearance to include: V449 to lhy. After advising center that I was unable, they provided me with the frequency plus inbound and outbnd courses to dny, which was off my chart. I have reviewed my error, and determined that the difference between an arwy and the edge of a chart are apparent. But, with the engine running, the radio chattering, a delayed departure, an undreamed of route, in an unfamiliar part of the nation, the edge of the chart makes a nice arwy. In the future, I will investigate a clearance more thoroughly before accepting it and try to carry bordering charts when operating near the edge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED CLRNC.

Narrative: AS A RECENT IFR PLT, I AM LEARNING MY WAY AROUND THE SYS. MY EXPERIENCE THUS FAR HAS TAUGHT ME THAT THE CLRNC ASSIGNED DIFFER FROM THE ROUTE FILED, EVEN AFTER DEP. AFTER ENG START AND TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE, I RECEIVED A CLRNC WHICH ONLY REFLECTED MY INTENDED ROUTE IN TERMS OF DEP POINT AND DEST. THE FLT WAS PLANNED ON L28 AND THE ROUTE FROM NE PHILADELPHIA TO ALB WAS FILED AS, PNE DIRECT ARD DIRECT SJB, V249 SAX, V213. THE ROUTE REQUIRED VIRTUALLY NO COURSE CHANGES. I OBTAINED MY CLRNC AFTER RUNUP, WHICH TOOK ME TO LHY AND THEN TO ALB VIA V449. I REVIEWED MY CHARTS BEFORE ACCEPTING THE CLRNC, NOTING THAT THE ROUTE TOOK ME ON A 70 MI DETOUR TO THE W, AND TO THE EDGE OF MY CHART. BOTH LHY AND ALB WERE ON THE CHART, ALONG WITH A 33 MI SEGMENT OF V449 INTO ALB. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I REACHED CRUISE ALT (ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER DEP) AND BEGAN SETTING UP FOR THE LAST PORTION OF THE FLT, THAT I REALIZED THAT I MISTOOK THE BORDER OF MY CHART AS PART OF V449 FROM LHY. PHILADELPHIA DEP WAS NOT PARTICULARLY PLEASED WITH MY EXPLANATION, BUT ALLOWED ME TO AMEND MY CLRNC TO: LHY V408 SAGES INTXN, V489 ALB. ON THE RETURN FROM ALB TO PNE, I OBTAINED MY CLRNC 'AS FILED' WHICH WAS THE REVERSE OF MY PLANNED ROUTE TO ALB (V213 SAX, V249 SJB, DIRECT ARD, DIRECT PNE). SHORTLY AFTER DEP, BOS CENTER AMENDED MY CLRNC TO INCLUDE: V449 TO LHY. AFTER ADVISING CENTER THAT I WAS UNABLE, THEY PROVIDED ME WITH THE FREQ PLUS INBND AND OUTBND COURSES TO DNY, WHICH WAS OFF MY CHART. I HAVE REVIEWED MY ERROR, AND DETERMINED THAT THE DIFFERENCE BTWN AN ARWY AND THE EDGE OF A CHART ARE APPARENT. BUT, WITH THE ENG RUNNING, THE RADIO CHATTERING, A DELAYED DEP, AN UNDREAMED OF ROUTE, IN AN UNFAMILIAR PART OF THE NATION, THE EDGE OF THE CHART MAKES A NICE ARWY. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL INVESTIGATE A CLRNC MORE THOROUGHLY BEFORE ACCEPTING IT AND TRY TO CARRY BORDERING CHARTS WHEN OPERATING NEAR THE EDGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.