Pilot apparently misunderstood departure's assigned intercept heading.

Attributes
ACN	489450
Time
Date	200010
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : csg.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : csg.tracon tower : csg.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 180 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	489450
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My takeoff instructions from csg tower were, 'fly runway heading.' tower handed me off to columbus departure. On calling departure, I was given a heading and told to intercept V241. I wrote down a heading and confirmed on the radio. I was not corrected. The heading I wrote down, and thought I heard and repeated, was 260 degrees. Apparently ATC said or meant to say 360 degrees. As I turned towards 260 degrees (from an initial heading of +/-50 degrees), I realized I wouldn't be able to intercept V241, so I called ATC and asked him to repeat the heading. He said, '360,' which I repeated, and began my turn back toward 360 degrees. ATC asked, 'say your heading.' and I replied with my then current heading. ATC asked 'say your heading before you asked me to repeat.' I said, 'I'm not sure. It was in the 200's.' he said, 'in the 200's could be very dangerous 1 mi from the airport.' I said, 'roger.' in the future I will listen closer and ask quicker.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT APPARENTLY MISUNDERSTOOD DEP'S ASSIGNED INTERCEPT HEADING.

Narrative: MY TKOF INSTRUCTIONS FROM CSG TWR WERE, 'FLY RWY HEADING.' TWR HANDED ME OFF TO COLUMBUS DEP. ON CALLING DEP, I WAS GIVEN A HEADING AND TOLD TO INTERCEPT V241. I WROTE DOWN A HEADING AND CONFIRMED ON THE RADIO. I WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE HEADING I WROTE DOWN, AND THOUGHT I HEARD AND REPEATED, WAS 260 DEGS. APPARENTLY ATC SAID OR MEANT TO SAY 360 DEGS. AS I TURNED TOWARDS 260 DEGS (FROM AN INITIAL HEADING OF +/-50 DEGS), I REALIZED I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO INTERCEPT V241, SO I CALLED ATC AND ASKED HIM TO REPEAT THE HEADING. HE SAID, '360,' WHICH I REPEATED, AND BEGAN MY TURN BACK TOWARD 360 DEGS. ATC ASKED, 'SAY YOUR HEADING.' AND I REPLIED WITH MY THEN CURRENT HEADING. ATC ASKED 'SAY YOUR HEADING BEFORE YOU ASKED ME TO REPEAT.' I SAID, 'I'M NOT SURE. IT WAS IN THE 200'S.' HE SAID, 'IN THE 200'S COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS 1 MI FROM THE ARPT.' I SAID, 'ROGER.' IN THE FUTURE I WILL LISTEN CLOSER AND ASK QUICKER.

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.