HDG TRACK DEV ON DEP PROC.

Narrative

UPON RADAR IDENT; AFTER DEP FROM ART; I RECEIVED A DIRECT TO CFB VOR (AS I HAD REQUESTED ON INITIAL CALL-UP). I HAD THE OBS CTRED AND TURNED TO THE INDICATED COURSE -- 030 DEGS. SOON CTR CALLED AND ASKED MY HDG. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I WAS ON THE RECIPROCAL COURSE UNTIL CTR REMINDED ME THAT CFB WAS S OF ART; NOT N; AND GAVE ME A 210 VECTOR. AFTER NEARLY DYING OF EMBARRASSMENT; I DULY NOTED THE FROM FLAG ON THE OBS INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT TO FLAG. MY PREFLT AND DEP WAS HURRIED AND MY MIND WAS ELSEWHERE. I WAS AWARE THAT I HAD A DRIPPING FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH. BASED ON A VISUAL ESTIMATE OF THE DRIP RATE; I HAD CALCULATED THE FUEL LOSS AS ABOUT 1 GALLON/HR. OVER AN EXPECTED ENG START TO SHUTDOWN TIME OF ABOUT 2 HRS 45 MINS (ART TO FDK AT ABOUT 130 KTS GNDSPD); I ESTIMATED THE TOTAL FUEL USAGE TO BE ABOUT 26 GALLONS (NORMAL BURN PLUS DRIP LOSS) OF OUT OF 60 GALLONS USABLE ON BOARD. I WAS NOT EXPECTING A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OR A RISKY FLT; BUT I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE LEAK AND WATCHING THE FUEL GAUGES FOR ANY SIGN OF A MASSIVE INCREASE OF FUEL LOSS. THE NET RESULT WAS THAT I INSUFFICIENTLY PREPARED MYSELF AND INSUFFICIENTLY REVIEWED MY FLT PLANNING. MY FLT PLAN WAS CORRECT BUT I HAD DONE IT SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER AND; BECAUSE OF MY PREOCCUPATION; I DIDN'T REFRESH MY MEMORY AT PREFLT. THUS; MY USUAL 'SANITY CHK' PROC (WHY AM I HDG N WHEN I SHOULD BE GOING S?) ESCAPED MY MIND COMPLETELY. I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WERE EVER FACED WITH A REAL EMER? I WAS ALL PRIMED AND READY TO DIVERT IF I HAD A NOTICEABLE FUEL LOSS AND I WAS PLANNING TO KEEP TRACK OF FIELDS ALONG THE WAY; BUT I NEVER EVEN REALIZED THAT MY INITIAL HDG WAS REVERSED. AS IT TURNED OUT; THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND NO MAJOR FUEL LOSS OCCURRED.