Narrative:

Clearance was: cleared to N87, after departure fly runway heading, expect radar vectors, direct abe direct ard direct rbe direct maintain 5000'. After takeoff a best rate climbout was initiated on runway heading, rate of climb was approximately 700 FPM. Altitude encoding was 'on'. Departure was initially contacted at 14000' climbing. At 1700' what I 'heard' was 'say altitude leaving right turn to abe' from departure. I reported leaving 17000' and began a right turn while saying to departure '1700' climbing right turn to allentown.' having reviewed the charts prior to takeoff I knew allentown was at about 170 degree. Until reaching 2300' the VOR signal was fluctuating on and off. At reaching 2400' departure called saying departure instructions were right turn to allentown at 2400'. I reported 'at 2400' now climbing.' I assume I missed this verbal restriction when being radar vectored when at 1700'. A mountain ridge at 2300' with other obstructions from 1300 to 2060' are east of scranton international. Apparently my mind set was on the clearance I had upon takeoff and on establishing a good instrument scan. I knew the approximately heading to the first navigation fix and turned as soon as I heard departure say 'right turn to allentown.' departure did not question my readback, apparently knowing my climb rate was adequate to clear the ridge, it should be noted that my altitude at the ridge was between 3500 and 4500'. Corrective actions would include 'listening' carefully but departure could also challenge incorrect readbacks especially when they can see on radar that a turn was initiated. Also a more appropriate IFR departure clearance would have been 'fly away heading, climb to 2400', expect radar vectors...' if my climb had not been maintained, terra firma would have been the next stop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA TURNED TOWARD HIGH TERRAIN BEFORE OUT OF CROSSING ALT RESTRICTION GIVEN IN CLRNC.

Narrative: CLRNC WAS: CLRED TO N87, AFTER DEP FLY RWY HEADING, EXPECT RADAR VECTORS, DIRECT ABE DIRECT ARD DIRECT RBE DIRECT MAINTAIN 5000'. AFTER TKOF A BEST RATE CLIMBOUT WAS INITIATED ON RWY HEADING, RATE OF CLIMB WAS APPROX 700 FPM. ALT ENCODING WAS 'ON'. DEP WAS INITIALLY CONTACTED AT 14000' CLIMBING. AT 1700' WHAT I 'HEARD' WAS 'SAY ALT LEAVING RIGHT TURN TO ABE' FROM DEP. I REPORTED LEAVING 17000' AND BEGAN A RIGHT TURN WHILE SAYING TO DEP '1700' CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TO ALLENTOWN.' HAVING REVIEWED THE CHARTS PRIOR TO TKOF I KNEW ALLENTOWN WAS AT ABOUT 170 DEG. UNTIL REACHING 2300' THE VOR SIGNAL WAS FLUCTUATING ON AND OFF. AT REACHING 2400' DEP CALLED SAYING DEP INSTRUCTIONS WERE RIGHT TURN TO ALLENTOWN AT 2400'. I REPORTED 'AT 2400' NOW CLIMBING.' I ASSUME I MISSED THIS VERBAL RESTRICTION WHEN BEING RADAR VECTORED WHEN AT 1700'. A MOUNTAIN RIDGE AT 2300' WITH OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS FROM 1300 TO 2060' ARE EAST OF SCRANTON INTL. APPARENTLY MY MIND SET WAS ON THE CLRNC I HAD UPON TKOF AND ON ESTABLISHING A GOOD INSTRUMENT SCAN. I KNEW THE APPROX HEADING TO THE FIRST NAVIGATION FIX AND TURNED AS SOON AS I HEARD DEP SAY 'RIGHT TURN TO ALLENTOWN.' DEP DID NOT QUESTION MY READBACK, APPARENTLY KNOWING MY CLIMB RATE WAS ADEQUATE TO CLEAR THE RIDGE, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MY ALT AT THE RIDGE WAS BETWEEN 3500 AND 4500'. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WOULD INCLUDE 'LISTENING' CAREFULLY BUT DEP COULD ALSO CHALLENGE INCORRECT READBACKS ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY CAN SEE ON RADAR THAT A TURN WAS INITIATED. ALSO A MORE APPROPRIATE IFR DEP CLRNC WOULD HAVE BEEN 'FLY AWAY HEADING, CLIMB TO 2400', EXPECT RADAR VECTORS...' IF MY CLIMB HAD NOT BEEN MAINTAINED, TERRA FIRMA WOULD HAVE BEEN THE NEXT STOP.

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.