Narrative:

Before takeoff to the west from runway 27 san, I was issued a clearance for the border 3 departure, imperial transition, then as filed. A few seconds after a jet airliner departed, I was cleared for takeoff. The light wind was from the right of my flight path; therefore, after liftoff, I made a slight right turn (5 degrees) to try to avoid the vortices being created by the departing jet. I contacted san departure control. The controller acknowledged radar contact, and shortly thereafter (before I had reached the 19 DME from poggy for the initial turn to 120 degrees). I was instructed to, 'turn left direct poggy.' I was in the clouds, and I did start a turn to the left, as instructed, while simultaneously turning the heading selector knob on the HSI to find a direct poggy heading. The left-right deviation bar was now fluctuating from side to side and was unreliable. The #2 navigation was also tuned to poggy and was showing unreliable information. My mistake was made in focusing too much attention to these indications and inadvertently making a turn to the right. I was in a turn to the right for a very short period of time (seconds) when I finally received a solid signal, and I also realized I was in a turn to the right, and I should have been in a turn to the left. I immediately reversed the turn, and started a turn to the left. The air traffic controller stated that I was in a right turn and that I should turn left. Another controller transmitted that I should turn left now to a heading of 180 degrees and that there was other traffic in the area. I was instructed to call san ATC by phone. After landing, I contacted san ATC, and I was told that I had come within 1 NM horizontal and 100' vertical of the commuter airline that had departed right after my departure. San ATC claims that, after takeoff, I was instructed to turn left, to continue the published SID. This statement is not correct. Based on the instructions I received to depart right after the jet airliner, and the very short period of time that I was in an incorrect turn to the right, I feel it may be possible that the commuter airliner may have been cleared for takeoff a little too soon after my takeoff, and/or the pilot of the commuter airliner may have inadvertently varied his flight path slightly to the left. I plan to request the remedial training program from the FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA TRACK HEADING DEVIATION DURING SID FROM SAN WITH VECTORS RESULTS IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: BEFORE TKOF TO THE W FROM RWY 27 SAN, I WAS ISSUED A CLRNC FOR THE BORDER 3 DEP, IMPERIAL TRANSITION, THEN AS FILED. A FEW SECS AFTER A JET AIRLINER DEPARTED, I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. THE LIGHT WIND WAS FROM THE RIGHT OF MY FLT PATH; THEREFORE, AFTER LIFTOFF, I MADE A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN (5 DEGS) TO TRY TO AVOID THE VORTICES BEING CREATED BY THE DEPARTING JET. I CONTACTED SAN DEP CTL. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED RADAR CONTACT, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER (BEFORE I HAD REACHED THE 19 DME FROM POGGY FOR THE INITIAL TURN TO 120 DEGS). I WAS INSTRUCTED TO, 'TURN LEFT DIRECT POGGY.' I WAS IN THE CLOUDS, AND I DID START A TURN TO THE LEFT, AS INSTRUCTED, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY TURNING THE HDG SELECTOR KNOB ON THE HSI TO FIND A DIRECT POGGY HDG. THE LEFT-RIGHT DEVIATION BAR WAS NOW FLUCTUATING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND WAS UNRELIABLE. THE #2 NAV WAS ALSO TUNED TO POGGY AND WAS SHOWING UNRELIABLE INFO. MY MISTAKE WAS MADE IN FOCUSING TOO MUCH ATTN TO THESE INDICATIONS AND INADVERTENTLY MAKING A TURN TO THE RIGHT. I WAS IN A TURN TO THE RIGHT FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (SECS) WHEN I FINALLY RECEIVED A SOLID SIGNAL, AND I ALSO REALIZED I WAS IN A TURN TO THE RIGHT, AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN A TURN TO THE LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY REVERSED THE TURN, AND STARTED A TURN TO THE LEFT. THE AIR TFC CTLR STATED THAT I WAS IN A RIGHT TURN AND THAT I SHOULD TURN LEFT. ANOTHER CTLR XMITTED THAT I SHOULD TURN LEFT NOW TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS AND THAT THERE WAS OTHER TFC IN THE AREA. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL SAN ATC BY PHONE. AFTER LNDG, I CONTACTED SAN ATC, AND I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD COME WITHIN 1 NM HORIZ AND 100' VERT OF THE COMMUTER AIRLINE THAT HAD DEPARTED RIGHT AFTER MY DEP. SAN ATC CLAIMS THAT, AFTER TKOF, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT, TO CONTINUE THE PUBLISHED SID. THIS STATEMENT IS NOT CORRECT. BASED ON THE INSTRUCTIONS I RECEIVED TO DEPART RIGHT AFTER THE JET AIRLINER, AND THE VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT I WAS IN AN INCORRECT TURN TO THE RIGHT, I FEEL IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT THE COMMUTER AIRLINER MAY HAVE BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF A LITTLE TOO SOON AFTER MY TKOF, AND/OR THE PLT OF THE COMMUTER AIRLINER MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY VARIED HIS FLT PATH SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. I PLAN TO REQUEST THE REMEDIAL TRNING PROGRAM FROM THE FAA.

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.