Narrative:

On climb out of houston hobby airport on an IFR flight plan to mexico city, we requested a different routing right after takeoff which was B1 to tampico. Center approved this change and gave us a turn to intercept the bearing south of the galveston NDB. My copilot gave me the outbnd bearing of 205 degree upon which we intercepted and proceeded outbnd. Shortly thereafter, center called and gave us a left turn to reintercept. I explained all of our radio indications showed us on course to which he said he showed us over 45 mi west of course. He then handed us off to another controller. Upon talking to this controller, I asked him to verify that we were indeed off course and he said we were. I asked him to confirm that he showed us not on the 205 degree bearing and he said that was indeed what we were on but that the airway was the 183 degree bearing off of galveston. Upon hearing this, I took the chart from the copilot and saw that he had indeed given me the wrong radial. What he had done was given me the inbound radial to the tampico VOR. I believe that we were the only aircraft in the area at the time, so it seemed like there was no conflict. However, in congested airspace, this type error could prove to be very dangerous. I think if I had 1) not requested a routing change so shortly after takeoff and 2) double checked my copilot's assessment of the route, this error would not have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA LTT DEVIATION FROM CLRNC ROUTE.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF HOUSTON HOBBY ARPT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO MEXICO CITY, WE REQUESTED A DIFFERENT ROUTING RIGHT AFTER TKOF WHICH WAS B1 TO TAMPICO. CENTER APPROVED THIS CHANGE AND GAVE US A TURN TO INTERCEPT THE BEARING S OF THE GALVESTON NDB. MY COPLT GAVE ME THE OUTBND BEARING OF 205 DEG UPON WHICH WE INTERCEPTED AND PROCEEDED OUTBND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CENTER CALLED AND GAVE US A LEFT TURN TO REINTERCEPT. I EXPLAINED ALL OF OUR RADIO INDICATIONS SHOWED US ON COURSE TO WHICH HE SAID HE SHOWED US OVER 45 MI W OF COURSE. HE THEN HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR. UPON TALKING TO THIS CTLR, I ASKED HIM TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE INDEED OFF COURSE AND HE SAID WE WERE. I ASKED HIM TO CONFIRM THAT HE SHOWED US NOT ON THE 205 DEG BEARING AND HE SAID THAT WAS INDEED WHAT WE WERE ON BUT THAT THE AIRWAY WAS THE 183 DEG BEARING OFF OF GALVESTON. UPON HEARING THIS, I TOOK THE CHART FROM THE COPLT AND SAW THAT HE HAD INDEED GIVEN ME THE WRONG RADIAL. WHAT HE HAD DONE WAS GIVEN ME THE INBND RADIAL TO THE TAMPICO VOR. I BELIEVE THAT WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT IN THE AREA AT THE TIME, SO IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. HOWEVER, IN CONGESTED AIRSPACE, THIS TYPE ERROR COULD PROVE TO BE VERY DANGEROUS. I THINK IF I HAD 1) NOT REQUESTED A ROUTING CHANGE SO SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AND 2) DOUBLE CHKED MY COPLT'S ASSESSMENT OF THE ROUTE, THIS ERROR WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.

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.