Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airspace Structure; Procedure; Human Factors
I took the position with a Cessna that had just departed SMO airport. At around 1200 feet he made a right turn back to the VOR. I immediately told him to stop his turn and turn back on to the departure heading. He said he was given a 250 heading.  I pulled up the MVA (Minimum Vectoring Altitude) map and decided that because of his low altitude and position; it was better to let him continue his right turn into a lower MVA rather then try to put him back to a left turn leading to a higher MVA. I then told him to expedite his climb as he was now below the MVA. I asked him who gave him a heading to the VOR and he said the tower did. The Supervisor checked with the tower and they listened to the tapes and he was not given a turn to the VOR.  I was then told to brasher the pilot and I did. No low altitude alert ever went off on the scope. We've had many occurrences of pilots turning incorrectly off of SMO airport. I would suggest the departure procedures be revisited as there are a lot of inexperienced pilots that depart from there. If this many are having issues; it should be addressed.
A TRACON Controller reported a departing Cessna deviated from the departure procedure and flew below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.