Narrative:

When runways 15L and/or 15R are in use, santa barbara ATC routinely directs pilots of single engine aircraft to 'fly runway heading until 5 mi out, at or below 1500'.' runways 15L and 15R end almost on the beach and a heading of 150 degree is almost perpendicular to the coast line. I did not want to fly 5 mi out over the pacific at 1500' so I called the sba tower and asked for an east departure after takeoff. Sba tower approved the left turn out to the east. I made my takeoff and climbed to 1500' at about 1.5 mi from the beach. At this time I was out over the water more than I wanted to be so I made the turn to 090 degree. Sba tower called and told me to contact sba approach control. I complied and sba approach asked my altitude. I was climbing at 300 FPM and was at 2000' still out over the water. By the sound of his voice I knew the sba approach was angry. He said, 'continue as you are, but next time remain under 1500' and don't turn until you are told.' I did not argue, just acknowledged his call. A short while later he called to confirm that I was at 3200' and climbing. I now suspect that when he meant to continue flying 090 degree and to hold 2000'. At no time did he say to hold any particular altitude. Summary: I try hard to do exactly what the controllers tell me to do. I may have misunderstood the sba ATC when he approved my left turn out. He may have meant ok to turn after 5 mi out and under 1500'. I thought it was ok to turn left as soon as I had climbed to 1500' (for safe clearance over the beach and water). I also may have misunderstood the sba approach when he said 'continue as you are.' I did exactly as he said. I continued flying a heading of 090 degree and I continued climbing at 300 FPM. I want to document in writing, that sba ATC is routinely telling pilots of single engine aircraft to fly 5 mi out over the pacific ocean at low altitude. This is an unsafe procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COM CONFUSION, SMA TURNS TOO SOON, CLIMBS TOO HIGH ON DEP SBA.

Narrative: WHEN RWYS 15L AND/OR 15R ARE IN USE, SANTA BARBARA ATC ROUTINELY DIRECTS PLTS OF SINGLE ENG ACFT TO 'FLY RWY HDG UNTIL 5 MI OUT, AT OR BELOW 1500'.' RWYS 15L AND 15R END ALMOST ON THE BEACH AND A HDG OF 150 DEG IS ALMOST PERPENDICULAR TO THE COAST LINE. I DID NOT WANT TO FLY 5 MI OUT OVER THE PACIFIC AT 1500' SO I CALLED THE SBA TWR AND ASKED FOR AN E DEP AFTER TKOF. SBA TWR APPROVED THE L TURN OUT TO THE E. I MADE MY TKOF AND CLBED TO 1500' AT ABOUT 1.5 MI FROM THE BEACH. AT THIS TIME I WAS OUT OVER THE WATER MORE THAN I WANTED TO BE SO I MADE THE TURN TO 090 DEG. SBA TWR CALLED AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT SBA APCH CTL. I COMPLIED AND SBA APCH ASKED MY ALT. I WAS CLBING AT 300 FPM AND WAS AT 2000' STILL OUT OVER THE WATER. BY THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE I KNEW THE SBA APCH WAS ANGRY. HE SAID, 'CONTINUE AS YOU ARE, BUT NEXT TIME REMAIN UNDER 1500' AND DON'T TURN UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD.' I DID NOT ARGUE, JUST ACKNOWLEDGED HIS CALL. A SHORT WHILE LATER HE CALLED TO CONFIRM THAT I WAS AT 3200' AND CLBING. I NOW SUSPECT THAT WHEN HE MEANT TO CONTINUE FLYING 090 DEG AND TO HOLD 2000'. AT NO TIME DID HE SAY TO HOLD ANY PARTICULAR ALT. SUMMARY: I TRY HARD TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THE CTLRS TELL ME TO DO. I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE SBA ATC WHEN HE APPROVED MY L TURN OUT. HE MAY HAVE MEANT OK TO TURN AFTER 5 MI OUT AND UNDER 1500'. I THOUGHT IT WAS OK TO TURN L AS SOON AS I HAD CLBED TO 1500' (FOR SAFE CLRNC OVER THE BEACH AND WATER). I ALSO MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE SBA APCH WHEN HE SAID 'CONTINUE AS YOU ARE.' I DID EXACTLY AS HE SAID. I CONTINUED FLYING A HDG OF 090 DEG AND I CONTINUED CLBING AT 300 FPM. I WANT TO DOCUMENT IN WRITING, THAT SBA ATC IS ROUTINELY TELLING PLTS OF SINGLE ENG ACFT TO FLY 5 MI OUT OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN AT LOW ALT. THIS IS AN UNSAFE PROC.

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.