A P180 ON DEP FROM APC DEVIATED FROM CLRED TRACK WHEN THE AUTOPLT TURNED SHORTEST DIRECTION RATHER THAN CLRED DIRECTION.

Narrative

ON RECEIVING MY CLRNC FROM APC-LAS; I WAS GIVEN: DEPARTING RWY 18R DIRECT SGD R TURN DIRECT LIDAT THEN AS FILED. I THEN ENTERED THE PLAN INTO THE FMS WHICH DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TURNING DIRECTIONS OF GREATER THAN 180 DEGS. BASICALLY; THE FMS TURNS THE DIRECTION THAT WOULD BE A SHORTER TURN TO THE NEXT FIX. AFTER TKOF; I TURNED DIRECTLY TO SGD AND QUERIED NORCAL DEP AS TO MY IMMEDIATE CLRNC. THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME TO FLY DIRECT SGD THEN R TURN LIDAT. DURING THIS CLBOUT A FUEL IMBAL ISSUE AROSE THAT TOOK MY ATTN OFF THE NAV FROM SGD TO LIDAT. CONSEQUENTLY; AS I CROSSED OVER SGD THE FMS TURNED L INSTEAD OF R TO LIDAT. I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED JUST AS NORCAL APCH BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTN. NO CONFLICT WAS READILY APPARENT TO ME AS I FEEL THE CTLR WAS COORDINATING MY ERROR WITH ANOTHER SECTOR. I FEEL THIS EVENT WAS COMPLETELY MY FAULT AS I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE DISTR WITH LESS THAN CRITICAL EVENTS. THE ONLY IDEA I HAVE AS TO PREVENTING THIS TYPE OF MISTAKE IN THE FUTURE WOULD BE TO HAVE A PUBLISHED DEP PROC IN PLACE. THIS VISUAL AID MAY CREATE A VISUAL TRIGGER AS TO TURNING DIRECTIONS GREATER THAN 180 DEGS.