Narrative:

The flight would take about 30 mins and would take me through the miami TCA. I knew I needed to contact miami center as soon as possible after departure and on climbing began trying to contact them. As I established contact the controller now said to 'remain clear of the TCA,' at that time I turned to a heading of 320 from an on course heading of 30 degrees and headed away from the TCA at 1800 ft. Approximately 1 min later I was told, 'turn to 320 and remain at 2000 ft. Since I was already going 320 degrees I quickly looked at the heading necessary to go to fxe and it was 32 degrees on the LORAN display and so I turned to 32 degrees to an on course heading. As I was on this course for 2 to 3 mins I was again contacted by ATC and was asked if I was heading 320, and I answered affirmative. Approximately 1 min later I was contacted by ATC, 'turn left to 270 immediately, traffic proximity alert!' I complied and turned left immediately to 270 degrees and I saw a jetliner (possibly) to my southeast who was turning to his right and appeared to be in a shallow climb. This traffic was 1.5 to 2 mi away at this time and I was at 2000 ft. My lack of recency of experience was probably a contributing factor. I should have asked if I was cleared to enter the TCA. I should have asked if my IFR flight plan was opened. This perception of being in the controller's airspace and getting radar vectors to my destination was apparently incorrect. I believe inadequate communication caused the problem. The actual confusion of my decision to go 32 degrees instead of 320 was a human error due to lack of recency of experience and it did not click that 32.0 was not 320.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN SMA AND DEP ACR WDB.

Narrative: THE FLT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 30 MINS AND WOULD TAKE ME THROUGH THE MIAMI TCA. I KNEW I NEEDED TO CONTACT MIAMI CTR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER DEP AND ON CLBING BEGAN TRYING TO CONTACT THEM. AS I ESTABLISHED CONTACT THE CTLR NOW SAID TO 'REMAIN CLR OF THE TCA,' AT THAT TIME I TURNED TO A HDG OF 320 FROM AN ON COURSE HDG OF 30 DEGS AND HEADED AWAY FROM THE TCA AT 1800 FT. APPROX 1 MIN LATER I WAS TOLD, 'TURN TO 320 AND REMAIN AT 2000 FT. SINCE I WAS ALREADY GOING 320 DEGS I QUICKLY LOOKED AT THE HDG NECESSARY TO GO TO FXE AND IT WAS 32 DEGS ON THE LORAN DISPLAY AND SO I TURNED TO 32 DEGS TO AN ON COURSE HDG. AS I WAS ON THIS COURSE FOR 2 TO 3 MINS I WAS AGAIN CONTACTED BY ATC AND WAS ASKED IF I WAS HDG 320, AND I ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVE. APPROX 1 MIN LATER I WAS CONTACTED BY ATC, 'TURN L TO 270 IMMEDIATELY, TFC PROX ALERT!' I COMPLIED AND TURNED L IMMEDIATELY TO 270 DEGS AND I SAW A JETLINER (POSSIBLY) TO MY SE WHO WAS TURNING TO HIS R AND APPEARED TO BE IN A SHALLOW CLB. THIS TFC WAS 1.5 TO 2 MI AWAY AT THIS TIME AND I WAS AT 2000 FT. MY LACK OF RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE WAS PROBABLY A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED IF I WAS CLRED TO ENTER THE TCA. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED IF MY IFR FLT PLAN WAS OPENED. THIS PERCEPTION OF BEING IN THE CTLR'S AIRSPACE AND GETTING RADAR VECTORS TO MY DEST WAS APPARENTLY INCORRECT. I BELIEVE INADEQUATE COM CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THE ACTUAL CONFUSION OF MY DECISION TO GO 32 DEGS INSTEAD OF 320 WAS A HUMAN ERROR DUE TO LACK OF RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE AND IT DID NOT CLICK THAT 32.0 WAS NOT 320.

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.