C208 pilot did not fly the ATC issued heading after departure in iah class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	561958
Time
Date	200210
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : iah.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure sid : beamont
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	561958
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I misread the beaumont 3 SID out of iah. After departing on runway 15R, I saw the VOR navigation needle swing, indicating airway passage. I was given a heading of 130 degrees after takeoff. I thought I had passed the airway, so I changed heading to reintercept. ATC jumped on me for changing heading. He said there was no traffic that I could have created problems for, but would have if there were any in the direction I turned. The text of the SID reads 'maintain assigned heading for vector to intercept.' I wonder if the text should read 'expect vector to intercept' instead, or put arrows on pictorial diagram to show where the course intercept should occur. The second suggestion is used on a lot of other sids.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C208 PLT DID NOT FLY THE ATC ISSUED HDG AFTER DEP IN IAH CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I MISREAD THE BEAUMONT 3 SID OUT OF IAH. AFTER DEPARTING ON RWY 15R, I SAW THE VOR NAV NEEDLE SWING, INDICATING AIRWAY PASSAGE. I WAS GIVEN A HDG OF 130 DEGS AFTER TKOF. I THOUGHT I HAD PASSED THE AIRWAY, SO I CHANGED HDG TO REINTERCEPT. ATC JUMPED ON ME FOR CHANGING HDG. HE SAID THERE WAS NO TFC THAT I COULD HAVE CREATED PROBS FOR, BUT WOULD HAVE IF THERE WERE ANY IN THE DIRECTION I TURNED. THE TEXT OF THE SID READS 'MAINTAIN ASSIGNED HDG FOR VECTOR TO INTERCEPT.' I WONDER IF THE TEXT SHOULD READ 'EXPECT VECTOR TO INTERCEPT' INSTEAD, OR PUT ARROWS ON PICTORIAL DIAGRAM TO SHOW WHERE THE COURSE INTERCEPT SHOULD OCCUR. THE SECOND SUGGESTION IS USED ON A LOT OF OTHER SIDS.

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.