A BE55 private pilot on a VFR departure procedure, makes an unauthorized turn immediately after take...

Attributes
ACN	488440
Time
Date	200010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric.tracon tower : ric.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 403 flight time type : 39
ASRS Report	488440
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : wake turbulence non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was cleared for a 'runway 2, no delay, caution wake turbulence' departure between 2 jets -- 1 arriving and 1 departing. WX was VFR and it has been yrs since I departed class C VFR. As soon as I lifted off, I made a left turn to avoid wake turbulence but failed to ask the tower for permission to do so. Tower switched me to departure, which immediately asked me who gave me the heading change. I realized my mistake at that point and confessed that I didn't have tower's permission to turn. There was no traffic conflict as a result of this, but it was a significant error to not ask for an immediate turn after departure. A contributing factor was my lack of recent VFR experience in class C airspace. Another factor was the urgency of departure and spacing with the departing jet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE55 PVT PLT ON A VFR DEP PROC, MAKES AN UNAUTH TURN IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF AT RIC, VA.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR A 'RWY 2, NO DELAY, CAUTION WAKE TURB' DEP BTWN 2 JETS -- 1 ARRIVING AND 1 DEPARTING. WX WAS VFR AND IT HAS BEEN YRS SINCE I DEPARTED CLASS C VFR. AS SOON AS I LIFTED OFF, I MADE A L TURN TO AVOID WAKE TURB BUT FAILED TO ASK THE TWR FOR PERMISSION TO DO SO. TWR SWITCHED ME TO DEP, WHICH IMMEDIATELY ASKED ME WHO GAVE ME THE HDG CHANGE. I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AT THAT POINT AND CONFESSED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TWR'S PERMISSION TO TURN. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AS A RESULT OF THIS, BUT IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT ERROR TO NOT ASK FOR AN IMMEDIATE TURN AFTER DEP. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY LACK OF RECENT VFR EXPERIENCE IN CLASS C AIRSPACE. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE URGENCY OF DEP AND SPACING WITH THE DEPARTING JET.

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.

A BE55 private pilot on a VFR departure procedure, makes an unauthorized turn immediately after takeoff at ric, va.