Narrative:

Departing runway 17 at hobby airport the wind was 070 at 10 KTS with turbulence. My passenger became uncomfortable with the yawing of the aircraft into the wind. After being assured that the plane was in a steady state of climb, I began to devote my attention to what I would tell my passenger. Tower said to contact departure. I acknowledged, but never completed the action. Instead, I turned around to apologize and comfort her. A couple (exactly how many is unknown) of minutes later, tower called me back (I was still on tower frequency) and said to contact departure immediately. I did so. Departure demanded that I turn right to a heading of 200 degree immediately. I do not know if I was close to another aircraft but I assume that I was by the tone of voice used by the controllers. It is evident that at times I forget to first fly the airplane, then worry about the passenger later if I have the time. But doing that at all, takes away from valuable concentration. It is a self-induced distraction that I need to keep under control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA, IFR ON CLIMBOUT, DELAYS FREQ CHANGE TO DEP THUS GETTING A CLRNC AMENDMENT LATE.

Narrative: DEPARTING RWY 17 AT HOBBY ARPT THE WIND WAS 070 AT 10 KTS WITH TURBULENCE. MY PAX BECAME UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE YAWING OF THE ACFT INTO THE WIND. AFTER BEING ASSURED THAT THE PLANE WAS IN A STEADY STATE OF CLIMB, I BEGAN TO DEVOTE MY ATTN TO WHAT I WOULD TELL MY PAX. TWR SAID TO CONTACT DEP. I ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT NEVER COMPLETED THE ACTION. INSTEAD, I TURNED AROUND TO APOLOGIZE AND COMFORT HER. A COUPLE (EXACTLY HOW MANY IS UNKNOWN) OF MINUTES LATER, TWR CALLED ME BACK (I WAS STILL ON TWR FREQ) AND SAID TO CONTACT DEP IMMEDIATELY. I DID SO. DEP DEMANDED THAT I TURN RIGHT TO A HDG OF 200 DEG IMMEDIATELY. I DO NOT KNOW IF I WAS CLOSE TO ANOTHER ACFT BUT I ASSUME THAT I WAS BY THE TONE OF VOICE USED BY THE CTLRS. IT IS EVIDENT THAT AT TIMES I FORGET TO FIRST FLY THE AIRPLANE, THEN WORRY ABOUT THE PAX LATER IF I HAVE THE TIME. BUT DOING THAT AT ALL, TAKES AWAY FROM VALUABLE CONCENTRATION. IT IS A SELF-INDUCED DISTR THAT I NEED TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL.

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.