<< >> NASA ASRS Report 633905, October 2004

M20 pilot makes an unauthorized heading deviation due to terrain conflict that resulted from degraded aircraft performance.

Attributes
ACN	633905
Time
Date	200410
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psp.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : psp.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 K (231)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 44 flight time total : 2000.5 flight time type : 2000.5
ASRS Report	633905
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed in VFR conditions on an IFR flight plan. I was receiving vectors from ATC, during my climb, that would eventually establish me on the airway. ATC gave me a heading and instructed me to intercept the airway. The day was warm and density altitude was increased. My climb gradient was reduced. To attempt to climb at a greater rate would have pushed my engine temperatures into the red. Had I continued on my heading, I would have impacted the rising terrain. I instinctively turned to the right towards lower terrain. I had visual separation from the ground and I could not see or hear on the frequency any traffic. My mistake was in not immediately informing ATC of what I was doing and stating that I could maintain visual separation from the terrain. ATC admonished me for changing my heading. He was absolutely right. The next time I will immediately transmit my situation to ATC and ask for permission to alter my heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20 PLT MAKES AN UNAUTH HDG DEV DUE TO TERRAIN CONFLICT THAT RESULTED FROM DEGRADED ACFT PERFORMANCE.

Narrative: I DEPARTED IN VFR CONDITIONS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I WAS RECEIVING VECTORS FROM ATC, DURING MY CLB, THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY ESTABLISH ME ON THE AIRWAY. ATC GAVE ME A HDG AND INSTRUCTED ME TO INTERCEPT THE AIRWAY. THE DAY WAS WARM AND DENSITY ALT WAS INCREASED. MY CLB GRADIENT WAS REDUCED. TO ATTEMPT TO CLB AT A GREATER RATE WOULD HAVE PUSHED MY ENG TEMPS INTO THE RED. HAD I CONTINUED ON MY HDG, I WOULD HAVE IMPACTED THE RISING TERRAIN. I INSTINCTIVELY TURNED TO THE R TOWARDS LOWER TERRAIN. I HAD VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE GND AND I COULD NOT SEE OR HEAR ON THE FREQ ANY TFC. MY MISTAKE WAS IN NOT IMMEDIATELY INFORMING ATC OF WHAT I WAS DOING AND STATING THAT I COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE TERRAIN. ATC ADMONISHED ME FOR CHANGING MY HDG. HE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE NEXT TIME I WILL IMMEDIATELY XMIT MY SIT TO ATC AND ASK FOR PERMISSION TO ALTER MY HDG.

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.