GA small aircraft heading deviation at night on airway.

Attributes
ACN	197510
Time
Date	199112
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eno
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v16
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1330 flight time type : 103
ASRS Report	197510
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am flying as sole occupant in an small aircraft to the point of the occurrence I have been awake for approximately 15 hours and have flown from teb to hpn to int to point of occurrence (approximately 6 hours, straight). Operating in cruise and navigating on V16 (IFR flight plan) without requesting permission, I engaged in one right hand steep turn and then resumed my navigation, on course. Dover approach queried 'what is your heading'. Having completed the turn I stated my original heading of 045 degree. After a moment of radio silence I asked if there was a problem while also stating that the turn had been done and I apologized for not asking permission first. I also asked the controller if this had caused her any problem and she said it had not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA HDG DEV AT NIGHT ON AIRWAY.

Narrative: I AM FLYING AS SOLE OCCUPANT IN AN SMA TO THE POINT OF THE OCCURRENCE I HAVE BEEN AWAKE FOR APPROX 15 HRS AND HAVE FLOWN FROM TEB TO HPN TO INT TO POINT OF OCCURRENCE (APPROX 6 HRS, STRAIGHT). OPERATING IN CRUISE AND NAVIGATING ON V16 (IFR FLT PLAN) WITHOUT REQUESTING PERMISSION, I ENGAGED IN ONE R HAND STEEP TURN AND THEN RESUMED MY NAVIGATION, ON COURSE. DOVER APCH QUERIED 'WHAT IS YOUR HDG'. HAVING COMPLETED THE TURN I STATED MY ORIGINAL HDG OF 045 DEG. AFTER A MOMENT OF RADIO SILENCE I ASKED IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHILE ALSO STATING THAT THE TURN HAD BEEN DONE AND I APOLOGIZED FOR NOT ASKING PERMISSION FIRST. I ALSO ASKED THE CTLR IF THIS HAD CAUSED HER ANY PROBLEM AND SHE SAID IT HAD NOT.

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.