<< >> NASA ASRS Report 593020, September 2003

C172 pilot turned northwest after takeoff when the ATCT local controller expected him to fly runway heading after departing on runway 25.

Attributes
ACN	593020
Time
Date	200309
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orl.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : orl.tower tower : sea.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1750 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	593020
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared for takeoff runway 25. Had requested northwest departure. Upon leaving the airport boundary at about 500 ft AGL, I turned northwest. Had traffic inbound from west in sight. Tower said I should not have turned. The problem is, I do not always get clearance for my turn after takeoff, so I am used to simply turning. I would rather hear 'right turn approved' or something like that. From now on I will ask tower specifically for the departure turn, and if I don't get it, I will fly runway heading. This seems like a waste of time and radio frequency. I think a takeoff clearance should assume that I will turn to my direction of flight. I will also review the aim on departure procedures from a controled airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT TURNED NW AFTER TKOF WHEN THE ATCT LCL CTLR EXPECTED HIM TO FLY RWY HEADING AFTER DEPARTING ON RWY 25.

Narrative: CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 25. HAD REQUESTED NW DEP. UPON LEAVING THE ARPT BOUNDARY AT ABOUT 500 FT AGL, I TURNED NW. HAD TFC INBOUND FROM W IN SIGHT. TWR SAID I SHOULD NOT HAVE TURNED. THE PROB IS, I DO NOT ALWAYS GET CLRNC FOR MY TURN AFTER TKOF, SO I AM USED TO SIMPLY TURNING. I WOULD RATHER HEAR 'R TURN APPROVED' OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. FROM NOW ON I WILL ASK TWR SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DEP TURN, AND IF I DON'T GET IT, I WILL FLY RWY HEADING. THIS SEEMS LIKE A WASTE OF TIME AND RADIO FREQ. I THINK A TKOF CLRNC SHOULD ASSUME THAT I WILL TURN TO MY DIRECTION OF FLT. I WILL ALSO REVIEW THE AIM ON DEP PROCS FROM A CTLED ARPT.

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.