Heading track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	167473
Time
Date	199101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	167473
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was given the heading 280 degrees, climb to 12000'. Swinging my heading bug to 280 degrees, I tracked this heading and flipped my radio to FSS (kankakee radio) to close the abbreviated IFR clearance I received from clearance (mdw). But instead of monitoring departure, I inadvertently switched it off. Upon returning to the frequency, I was told they had been trying to reach me for a couple of mins and that an aircraft I had been watching for several mi had to be diverted. They asked me my heading, and looking at my dg which said 280 degrees, I replied '280 degrees.' they said the radar showed a southwest track. I was given a 320 or 310 degree heading and a frequency change. After changing frequencys, I was told a report was being filed. I wrote up the dg to be on the safe side. Perhaps it was cold, but I could not get it to swing or fail again. The radio shop founding nothing wrong, either.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN THE HDG 280 DEGS, CLB TO 12000'. SWINGING MY HDG BUG TO 280 DEGS, I TRACKED THIS HDG AND FLIPPED MY RADIO TO FSS (KANKAKEE RADIO) TO CLOSE THE ABBREVIATED IFR CLRNC I RECEIVED FROM CLRNC (MDW). BUT INSTEAD OF MONITORING DEP, I INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED IT OFF. UPON RETURNING TO THE FREQ, I WAS TOLD THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO REACH ME FOR A COUPLE OF MINS AND THAT AN ACFT I HAD BEEN WATCHING FOR SEVERAL MI HAD TO BE DIVERTED. THEY ASKED ME MY HDG, AND LOOKING AT MY DG WHICH SAID 280 DEGS, I REPLIED '280 DEGS.' THEY SAID THE RADAR SHOWED A SW TRACK. I WAS GIVEN A 320 OR 310 DEG HDG AND A FREQ CHANGE. AFTER CHANGING FREQS, I WAS TOLD A RPT WAS BEING FILED. I WROTE UP THE DG TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. PERHAPS IT WAS COLD, BUT I COULD NOT GET IT TO SWING OR FAIL AGAIN. THE RADIO SHOP FOUNDING NOTHING WRONG, EITHER.

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.