Atx light transport questioned abort turn being made while in compliance with san SID.

Attributes
ACN	97144
Time
Date	198810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	97144
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Clearance delivery gave clearance as after takeoff heading 275 degrees to boarder 2 departure, julian transition, then as filed. On takeoff tower said, 'clear for takeoff, heading 275 degrees.' boarder 2 runway 27 is attached (see attached). After takeoff I steered 275 degrees until reaching tuffi intersection, then turned left to 120 degrees, about 20-25 degrees into the turn ATC said, 'turn left to 180 degrees,' and we acknowledged. Then ATC asked if we had started turning before they gave us the turn. I replied in the affirmative for boarder 2 departure. They said that the tower told us to maintain 275 degrees (they did not). The problem that I see here is that the tower did not tell us to maintain 275 degrees and in the beginning clearance deliver, if they wanted us to maintain 275 degrees (as I understand it) should have said, 'after takeoff heading 275 degrees for radar vectors to the boarder 2 departure,' which they did not. As the boarder 2 clearly states, I am to turn left to 120 degrees unless told to maintain a heading or advised by clearance that I'm getting radar vectors to the departure in progress at some other point than as published.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX LTT QUESTIONED ABORT TURN BEING MADE WHILE IN COMPLIANCE WITH SAN SID.

Narrative: CLRNC DELIVERY GAVE CLRNC AS AFTER TKOF HDG 275 DEGS TO BOARDER 2 DEP, JULIAN TRANSITION, THEN AS FILED. ON TKOF TWR SAID, 'CLR FOR TKOF, HDG 275 DEGS.' BOARDER 2 RWY 27 IS ATTACHED (SEE ATTACHED). AFTER TKOF I STEERED 275 DEGS UNTIL REACHING TUFFI INTXN, THEN TURNED LEFT TO 120 DEGS, ABOUT 20-25 DEGS INTO THE TURN ATC SAID, 'TURN LEFT TO 180 DEGS,' AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED. THEN ATC ASKED IF WE HAD STARTED TURNING BEFORE THEY GAVE US THE TURN. I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FOR BOARDER 2 DEP. THEY SAID THAT THE TWR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 275 DEGS (THEY DID NOT). THE PROB THAT I SEE HERE IS THAT THE TWR DID NOT TELL US TO MAINTAIN 275 DEGS AND IN THE BEGINNING CLRNC DELIVER, IF THEY WANTED US TO MAINTAIN 275 DEGS (AS I UNDERSTAND IT) SHOULD HAVE SAID, 'AFTER TKOF HDG 275 DEGS FOR RADAR VECTORS TO THE BOARDER 2 DEP,' WHICH THEY DID NOT. AS THE BOARDER 2 CLEARLY STATES, I AM TO TURN LEFT TO 120 DEGS UNLESS TOLD TO MAINTAIN A HDG OR ADVISED BY CLRNC THAT I'M GETTING RADAR VECTORS TO THE DEP IN PROGRESS AT SOME OTHER POINT THAN AS PUBLISHED.

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.