GA small aircraft on TCA clearance given vector into rising terrain. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	96603
Time
Date	198810
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : las
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1200
ASRS Report	96603
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was given a clearance to depart the TCA via heading 110 degree and to maintain 3500' msc. Upon contacting departure control, I was instructed to fly heading 150 degree from a point about 4 miles south of the airport. This heading took me toward hills southeast of the las VOR which are shown on the chart as rising to 4069'. The radio channel was extremely busy at the time--it was not possible for me to ask ATC for a high altitude. Although I attempted to contact them several times. Finally, when within one half mile of the terrain, I exercised my emergency authority and climbed to 4,300' to cross the ridges. I felt that this was safer than a course deviation since a northerly turn might cause a conflict with inbound traffic and a southerly turn was toward more terrain. Shortly after reaching 4300' ATC cleared by to 5000' and direct boulder city--I did not mention my predicament due to frequency congestion. I think maybe somebody needs to verify the minimum vectoring altitudes southeast of las and verify that low altitude alert features of the radar system software are functional.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ON TCA CLRNC GIVEN VECTOR INTO RISING TERRAIN. OPERROR.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO DEPART THE TCA VIA HDG 110 DEG AND TO MAINTAIN 3500' MSC. UPON CONTACTING DEPARTURE CONTROL, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO FLY HEADING 150 DEG FROM A POINT ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THIS HEADING TOOK ME TOWARD HILLS SE OF THE LAS VOR WHICH ARE SHOWN ON THE CHART AS RISING TO 4069'. THE RADIO CHANNEL WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AT THE TIME--IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO ASK ATC FOR A HIGH ALTITUDE. ALTHOUGH I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THEM SEVERAL TIMES. FINALLY, WHEN WITHIN ONE HALF MILE OF THE TERRAIN, I EXERCISED MY EMER AUTHORITY AND CLIMBED TO 4,300' TO CROSS THE RIDGES. I FELT THAT THIS WAS SAFER THAN A COURSE DEVIATION SINCE A NORTHERLY TURN MIGHT CAUSE A CONFLICT WITH INBOUND TFC AND A SOUTHERLY TURN WAS TOWARD MORE TERRAIN. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING 4300' ATC CLRED BY TO 5000' AND DIRECT BOULDER CITY--I DID NOT MENTION MY PREDICAMENT DUE TO FREQUENCY CONGESTION. I THINK MAYBE SOMEBODY NEEDS TO VERIFY THE MINIMUM VECTORING ALTITUDES SE OF LAS AND VERIFY THAT LOW ALTITUDE ALERT FEATURES OF THE RADAR SYSTEM SOFTWARE ARE FUNCTIONAL.

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.