Instrument departure, pilot changes frequency, makes turn without clearance to do so.

Attributes
ACN	200860
Time
Date	199202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ntd airport : cma
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ntc tracon : dtw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 230 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	200860
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received IFR clearance informing me to expect radar vectors after takeoff. Tower cleared me for takeoff, with no heading to turn. I took off and still tower didn't give me a heading. I changed frequency to departure and before talking to them, made a left downwind departure. This is the first time at this airport for me and earlier I was with a local instructor getting an aircraft chkout. After takeoff we made a left downwind departure. That's why I made the decision to turn left. Point mugu departure implied that I didn't listen to my clearance and noted that I made a left downwind departure. I explained to them that I wasn't given a vector and earlier the left turn seemed to be authorized (runway 8 has a right traffic pattern). It was VFR conditions. The IFR departure procedure specifies to climb to 2500 ft via cma R-061 then all aircraft climbing left turn direct cma VOR DME. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states first instrument flight since rating and was with very experienced pilot. Had a 'throw away' type airport diagram which did not indicate right traffic pattern. Analyst counseled reference proper charts and request frequency change versus just leaving frequency. Analyst assessment: reporter's very experienced pilot was not much help!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST DEP, PLT CHANGES FREQ, MAKES TURN WITHOUT CLRNC TO DO SO.

Narrative: RECEIVED IFR CLRNC INFORMING ME TO EXPECT RADAR VECTORS AFTER TKOF. TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF, WITH NO HDG TO TURN. I TOOK OFF AND STILL TWR DIDN'T GIVE ME A HDG. I CHANGED FREQ TO DEP AND BEFORE TALKING TO THEM, MADE A L DOWNWIND DEP. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AT THIS ARPT FOR ME AND EARLIER I WAS WITH A LCL INSTRUCTOR GETTING AN ACFT CHKOUT. AFTER TKOF WE MADE A L DOWNWIND DEP. THAT'S WHY I MADE THE DECISION TO TURN L. POINT MUGU DEP IMPLIED THAT I DIDN'T LISTEN TO MY CLRNC AND NOTED THAT I MADE A L DOWNWIND DEP. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I WASN'T GIVEN A VECTOR AND EARLIER THE L TURN SEEMED TO BE AUTHORIZED (RWY 8 HAS A R TFC PATTERN). IT WAS VFR CONDITIONS. THE IFR DEP PROC SPECIFIES TO CLB TO 2500 FT VIA CMA R-061 THEN ALL ACFT CLBING L TURN DIRECT CMA VOR DME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES FIRST INST FLT SINCE RATING AND WAS WITH VERY EXPERIENCED PLT. HAD A 'THROW AWAY' TYPE ARPT DIAGRAM WHICH DID NOT INDICATE R TFC PATTERN. ANALYST COUNSELED REF PROPER CHARTS AND REQUEST FREQ CHANGE VERSUS JUST LEAVING FREQ. ANALYST ASSESSMENT: RPTR'S VERY EXPERIENCED PLT WAS NOT MUCH HELP!

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.