Narrative:

Before departing torrance airport I spoke to the tower personnel about the departure procedures, due to my unfamiliarity. I had a VFR sectional in front of me so that we could discuss the 3 different departures: shore line, VFR and hollywood. After talking with the tower I called flight service and obtained the WX and found it to be VFR. 15 mins later, I got into the aircraft and requested a shore line departure. Tower indicated that it would be a 1/2 hour delay. I then requested VFR flight following, because I was going to use the VFR corridor. I had entered the santa monica VOR (smo) and the 132 degree radial in 1/2 of the navigation. Receiver and the van nuys (vny) in the other half, in the event I might need it. When I took off I contacted departure and indicated I would like flight following -- I was going to use the VFR corridor. A short time later they had asked if I had the santa monica VOR tuned in and when I looked I was navigating on the van nuys VOR. They told me to proceed direct to the smo, which I did. Later in the flight they told me to contact coast approach by phone. When I arrived in sacramento I called coast approach. The person I spoke to wanted to know what had happened and I told him. We talked and he said consider this a kind of review and no formal action would be taken. When you think you made the correct selection, check it again, especially in an area you haven't been before.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT CHOOSES TO USE THE VFR CORRIDOR FOR DEP OUT OF TOA ARPT. HAD SET UP 2 VORS AND USES THE WRONG ONE FOR NAV TO SMO. WAS USING THE ONE SET ON VNY. SOCAL CTLR CATCHES ERROR AND SENDS HIM DIRECT SMO. SAYS, 'CALL ME LATER.'

Narrative: BEFORE DEPARTING TORRANCE ARPT I SPOKE TO THE TWR PERSONNEL ABOUT THE DEP PROCS, DUE TO MY UNFAMILIARITY. I HAD A VFR SECTIONAL IN FRONT OF ME SO THAT WE COULD DISCUSS THE 3 DIFFERENT DEPS: SHORE LINE, VFR AND HOLLYWOOD. AFTER TALKING WITH THE TWR I CALLED FLT SVC AND OBTAINED THE WX AND FOUND IT TO BE VFR. 15 MINS LATER, I GOT INTO THE ACFT AND REQUESTED A SHORE LINE DEP. TWR INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE A 1/2 HR DELAY. I THEN REQUESTED VFR FLT FOLLOWING, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO USE THE VFR CORRIDOR. I HAD ENTERED THE SANTA MONICA VOR (SMO) AND THE 132 DEG RADIAL IN 1/2 OF THE NAV. RECEIVER AND THE VAN NUYS (VNY) IN THE OTHER HALF, IN THE EVENT I MIGHT NEED IT. WHEN I TOOK OFF I CONTACTED DEP AND INDICATED I WOULD LIKE FLT FOLLOWING -- I WAS GOING TO USE THE VFR CORRIDOR. A SHORT TIME LATER THEY HAD ASKED IF I HAD THE SANTA MONICA VOR TUNED IN AND WHEN I LOOKED I WAS NAVING ON THE VAN NUYS VOR. THEY TOLD ME TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE SMO, WHICH I DID. LATER IN THE FLT THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT COAST APCH BY PHONE. WHEN I ARRIVED IN SACRAMENTO I CALLED COAST APCH. THE PERSON I SPOKE TO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND I TOLD HIM. WE TALKED AND HE SAID CONSIDER THIS A KIND OF REVIEW AND NO FORMAL ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. WHEN YOU THINK YOU MADE THE CORRECT SELECTION, CHK IT AGAIN, ESPECIALLY IN AN AREA YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BEFORE.

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.