Narrative:

Returning from a weekend trip to the beach, I got a clearance with a void time. I used a highlighter to mark my route on the low altitude en route chart. I used a different color to differentiate the route from that followed on the outbound flight. The route was slightly different from my flight plan. It was direct cyn (from mjx airport) then V16. Outbound route had been V312. After crossing cyn I flew V312 instead of V16. In about 20 mi ATC recognized I wasn't flying the right route and told me to go direct vcn. I looked at the chart to check where vcn was and realized I'd flown the wrong airway. I'd been aware of the risk of confusion when highlighting my route. I used a contrasting color, also drew an occasional arrowhead to indicate direction of flight. Not using my flight planned route meant I was relying on the chart (and written clearance) exclusively once airborne. With the chart folded to kneeboard size however the arrows were not visible -- just 2 lines, different colors, branching out of the VOR. Contributing factor -- approach gave me only barely enough time before void, and I did the review of the route hastily.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEVIATED FROM CLRED IFR RTE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: SHORT 'VOID' TIME GIVEN ON CLRNC, ALLOWING LIMITED REVIEW OF RTE.

Narrative: RETURNING FROM A WEEKEND TRIP TO THE BEACH, I GOT A CLRNC WITH A VOID TIME. I USED A HIGHLIGHTER TO MARK MY RTE ON THE LOW ALT ENRTE CHART. I USED A DIFFERENT COLOR TO DIFFERENTIATE THE RTE FROM THAT FOLLOWED ON THE OUTBOUND FLT. THE RTE WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM MY FLT PLAN. IT WAS DIRECT CYN (FROM MJX ARPT) THEN V16. OUTBOUND RTE HAD BEEN V312. AFTER XING CYN I FLEW V312 INSTEAD OF V16. IN ABOUT 20 MI ATC RECOGNIZED I WASN'T FLYING THE RIGHT RTE AND TOLD ME TO GO DIRECT VCN. I LOOKED AT THE CHART TO CHK WHERE VCN WAS AND REALIZED I'D FLOWN THE WRONG AIRWAY. I'D BEEN AWARE OF THE RISK OF CONFUSION WHEN HIGHLIGHTING MY RTE. I USED A CONTRASTING COLOR, ALSO DREW AN OCCASIONAL ARROWHEAD TO INDICATE DIRECTION OF FLT. NOT USING MY FLT PLANNED RTE MEANT I WAS RELYING ON THE CHART (AND WRITTEN CLRNC) EXCLUSIVELY ONCE AIRBORNE. WITH THE CHART FOLDED TO KNEEBOARD SIZE HOWEVER THE ARROWS WERE NOT VISIBLE -- JUST 2 LINES, DIFFERENT COLORS, BRANCHING OUT OF THE VOR. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR -- APCH GAVE ME ONLY BARELY ENOUGH TIME BEFORE VOID, AND I DID THE REVIEW OF THE RTE HASTILY.

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.