Small aircraft pilot penetrates TCA on climbout, tuned wrong VOR.

Attributes
ACN	145469
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san tower : myf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 948 flight time type : 171
ASRS Report	145469
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was departing montgomery field, san diego, ca and called the tower telling them I was ready to go in sequence. They reported back to me right away that I was cleared for 28L. I taxied onto the runway and could see that the traffic that had just landed was not yet clear of the runway. I sat and waited until they were and then took off. As I was climbing out the tower called and told me I had not been cleared for takeoff, only to position and hold. I apologized for the misunderstanding. They seemed quite upset but told me to go ahead. I intended to go downwind and intercept V66 east to el centro. I requested a frequency change and called approach control on 124.35 and told them of my intentions. They gave me a transponder code to squawk and told me to remain VFR and clear of the TCA. I dialed in the transponder code and pushed identify; however, my mind was still on the error I had made and was trying to recall exactly what the montgomery controller had said. I inadvertently followed the wrong obs in my aircraft, which I had set to poggi VOR (0 degrees from) and entered the TCA. The controller called and told me I had done this, and to turn north immediately, which I did. I have no excuse for this and realize the severity of the mistake and the potentially disastrous consequences.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT PENETRATES TCA ON CLIMBOUT, TUNED WRONG VOR.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING MONTGOMERY FIELD, SAN DIEGO, CA AND CALLED THE TWR TELLING THEM I WAS READY TO GO IN SEQUENCE. THEY RPTED BACK TO ME RIGHT AWAY THAT I WAS CLRED FOR 28L. I TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND COULD SEE THAT THE TFC THAT HAD JUST LANDED WAS NOT YET CLR OF THE RWY. I SAT AND WAITED UNTIL THEY WERE AND THEN TOOK OFF. AS I WAS CLBING OUT THE TWR CALLED AND TOLD ME I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF, ONLY TO POS AND HOLD. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING. THEY SEEMED QUITE UPSET BUT TOLD ME TO GO AHEAD. I INTENDED TO GO DOWNWIND AND INTERCEPT V66 E TO EL CENTRO. I REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE AND CALLED APCH CTL ON 124.35 AND TOLD THEM OF MY INTENTIONS. THEY GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE TO SQUAWK AND TOLD ME TO REMAIN VFR AND CLR OF THE TCA. I DIALED IN THE XPONDER CODE AND PUSHED IDENT; HOWEVER, MY MIND WAS STILL ON THE ERROR I HAD MADE AND WAS TRYING TO RECALL EXACTLY WHAT THE MONTGOMERY CTLR HAD SAID. I INADVERTENTLY FOLLOWED THE WRONG OBS IN MY ACFT, WHICH I HAD SET TO POGGI VOR (0 DEGS FROM) AND ENTERED THE TCA. THE CTLR CALLED AND TOLD ME I HAD DONE THIS, AND TO TURN N IMMEDIATELY, WHICH I DID. I HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THIS AND REALIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE MISTAKE AND THE POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.