Departing yak, ak, in instrument WX conditions without full understanding of his clearance results i...

Attributes
ACN	590759
Time
Date	200308
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Fog
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : other published ifr departure
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	590759
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe ground encounters other inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airport Chart Or Publication Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departure from yak in IFR conditions, I was given a clearance to depart using the published departure. I understood that to be the published SID. Instead of departing using the published departure, I departed using the SID. I subsequently realized the departure was not making sense and advised center I wanted clarification. I was then told to turn to a heading to intercept V440. I believe I should have been more familiar with the terminology, that I should have looked more closely at the departure and realized it did not make sense before accepting what I understood it to be. It was obvious when receiving the clearance, I was having difficulty understanding the clearance, since I could not locate the amber routing and that there was confusion on my part. I thought I understood the clearance, but I think it was obvious to FSS I did not. I told FSS I was having difficulty finding the clearance and yet it was not read off to me as published. I was told it was in the first pages of the charts, but I said I was using commercial charts and I later learned the departure was published on the airport diagram. I should have known this. However, when the confusion was obvious, I should have been given clarified instructions. It was a simple matter to advise me to depart and intercept V440. I take full responsibility since it is my obligation to understand the terminology, however, a near tragedy could have been averted had I been simply told the departure routing. Nevertheless, I was greatly upset by the misunderstanding and have made arrangements to obtain some intensive IFR training. I am fearful of misunderstanding such a clearance in the future and I am uncomfortable with my current rusty level of skill. I do not intend to fly IFR until I obtain additional training. This experience was far too scary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEPARTING YAK, AK, IN INST WX CONDITIONS WITHOUT FULL UNDERSTANDING OF HIS CLRNC RESULTS IN FLYING AN UNASSIGNED INST DEP INSTEAD OF THE OBSTACLE DEP PROC THAT WAS INTENDED.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM YAK IN IFR CONDITIONS, I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO DEPART USING THE PUBLISHED DEP. I UNDERSTOOD THAT TO BE THE PUBLISHED SID. INSTEAD OF DEPARTING USING THE PUBLISHED DEP, I DEPARTED USING THE SID. I SUBSEQUENTLY REALIZED THE DEP WAS NOT MAKING SENSE AND ADVISED CTR I WANTED CLARIFICATION. I WAS THEN TOLD TO TURN TO A HEADING TO INTERCEPT V440. I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE TERMINOLOGY, THAT I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED MORE CLOSELY AT THE DEP AND REALIZED IT DID NOT MAKE SENSE BEFORE ACCEPTING WHAT I UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE. IT WAS OBVIOUS WHEN RECEIVING THE CLRNC, I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE CLRNC, SINCE I COULD NOT LOCATE THE AMBER ROUTING AND THAT THERE WAS CONFUSION ON MY PART. I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC, BUT I THINK IT WAS OBVIOUS TO FSS I DID NOT. I TOLD FSS I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING THE CLRNC AND YET IT WAS NOT READ OFF TO ME AS PUBLISHED. I WAS TOLD IT WAS IN THE FIRST PAGES OF THE CHARTS, BUT I SAID I WAS USING COMMERCIAL CHARTS AND I LATER LEARNED THE DEP WAS PUBLISHED ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS. HOWEVER, WHEN THE CONFUSION WAS OBVIOUS, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN CLARIFIED INSTRUCTIONS. IT WAS A SIMPLE MATTER TO ADVISE ME TO DEPART AND INTERCEPT V440. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY SINCE IT IS MY OBLIGATION TO UNDERSTAND THE TERMINOLOGY, HOWEVER, A NEAR TRAGEDY COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED HAD I BEEN SIMPLY TOLD THE DEP ROUTING. NEVERTHELESS, I WAS GREATLY UPSET BY THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO OBTAIN SOME INTENSIVE IFR TRAINING. I AM FEARFUL OF MISUNDERSTANDING SUCH A CLRNC IN THE FUTURE AND I AM UNCOMFORTABLE WITH MY CURRENT RUSTY LEVEL OF SKILL. I DO NOT INTEND TO FLY IFR UNTIL I OBTAIN ADDITIONAL TRAINING. THIS EXPERIENCE WAS FAR TOO SCARY.

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.

Departing yak, ak, in instrument WX conditions without full understanding of his clearance results in flying an unassigned instrument departure instead of the obstacle departure procedure that was intended.