Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan from cpk to ZZZ via the foreflight app. The weather was 400 broken; 1;300 ovc with 7 miles visibility. When ready for departure from runway 23; I contacted norfolk approach via the rco. The pertinent part of the clearance was 'enter controlled airspace on a 230 heading; radar vectors hpw...' of note is the fact that when the controller is talking over the rco; they apparently for some reason key the mic and speak a few words; then unkey the mic for a brief moment; before re-keying the mic and talking for a few more words before unkeying the mic again. This procedure seems to clip off the first syllable of each new transmission. For instance; if the controller intended to give the phonetic spelling for a waypoint such as ric.... The transmission might come across as 'meo india charlie.' I don't think this had anything to do with my error; but I think it is worth mentioning. On climbout I contacted norfolk approach. Here are the transmissions as near as I can remember them: 'norfolk approach; aircraft X off chesapeake climbing out of 700 on a 230 heading'. 'Aircraft X; radar contact; climb and maintain 3;000; norfolk altimeter 29.95' response 'climb and maintain 3;000; and 29.95; aircraft X'. After flying on the 230 heading for a minute I began to question in my mind as to whether the controller had forgotten about me flying off on a heading that was about 90 degrees off from my clearance route to hpw. I thought to myself; 'is he expecting me to turn towards hpw?' and here is where a simple call to ATC would have been in order to clarify any uncertainty on my part...but incorrectly I turned towards hpw without contacting the controller. It wasn't long before the controller contacted me to make me aware of my error. Of course I should have stayed on the 230 heading until given radar vectors or further clearance. At the controller's direction; I returned to my 230 heading until given further radar vectors. Perhaps my desire to start heading in the right direction was a factor as the weather generally improved to the northwest. I pride myself on being a careful and exacting pilot; and this was plain and simple a mistake...one that I hope to never repeat. If in doubt about the routing; simply ask for confirmation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA pilot reported a communication breakdown with ATC led to a heading deviation.

Narrative: I filed an IFR flight plan from CPK to ZZZ via the ForeFlight app. The weather was 400 BKN; 1;300 OVC with 7 miles visibility. When ready for departure from RWY 23; I contacted Norfolk Approach via the RCO. The pertinent part of the clearance was 'enter controlled airspace on a 230 heading; radar vectors HPW...' Of note is the fact that when the controller is talking over the RCO; they apparently for some reason key the mic and speak a few words; then unkey the mic for a brief moment; before re-keying the mic and talking for a few more words before unkeying the mic again. This procedure seems to clip off the first syllable of each new transmission. For instance; if the controller intended to give the phonetic spelling for a waypoint such as RIC.... the transmission might come across as 'meo India Charlie.' I don't think this had anything to do with my error; but I think it is worth mentioning. On climbout I contacted Norfolk Approach. Here are the transmissions as near as I can remember them: 'Norfolk Approach; Aircraft X off Chesapeake climbing out of 700 on a 230 heading'. 'Aircraft X; radar contact; climb and maintain 3;000; Norfolk altimeter 29.95' Response 'climb and maintain 3;000; and 29.95; Aircraft X'. After flying on the 230 heading for a minute I began to question in my mind as to whether the controller had forgotten about me flying off on a heading that was about 90 degrees off from my clearance route to HPW. I thought to myself; 'Is he expecting me to turn towards HPW?' And here is where a simple call to ATC would have been in order to clarify any uncertainty on my part...but incorrectly I turned towards HPW without contacting the controller. It wasn't long before the controller contacted me to make me aware of my error. Of course I should have stayed on the 230 heading until given radar vectors or further clearance. At the controller's direction; I returned to my 230 heading until given further radar vectors. Perhaps my desire to start heading in the right direction was a factor as the weather generally improved to the northwest. I pride myself on being a careful and exacting pilot; and this was plain and simple a mistake...one that I hope to never repeat. If in doubt about the routing; simply ask for confirmation.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.