Small Transport
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 6500
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors
I took off VFR; turned east bound to 090. I had a filed flight plan to Charleston; West Virginia online. I called approach to get my clearance in the air. They gave me a squawk code and told me to go east bound which I was already doing as I climbed out VFR. They cleared me to 10;000 feet and told me to continue eastbound. They identified me via squawk. They then told me to turn right direct Charleston. That seemed odd because a right turn would have taken me south; so I thought about it for a moment and called back in and said; don't you mean a left turn direct Charleston which would have been only a few degrees left since I was already going east as instructed. They said no a right turn; so I guessed there must be some confusion and I said I want to go to Charleston; West Virginia. They then came back and said I had filed to Charleston; South Carolina. So I said no that was a mistake and I had filed direct to Charleston; West Virginia for 17;000 feet and a 20 minute flight.They asked me who I had filed through and I told them. I thought I had filed to Charleston; West Virginia. If I didn't it was a mistake which I immediately realized in a totally VFR environment and told Lexington Departure immediately that there seemed to be something amiss.There was never a time of any conflicts with any other planes nor was I ever out of direct communication with Lexington Departure as they identified me and I was squawking a given code and following their instructions.They then cleared me to Charleston; West Virginia. I acknowledged. About 5 minutes later they contacted me and asked me to call a phone number [at destination] which I did. I spoke to someone at the Center and explained the situation.
General aviation pilot reported he thought he had filed a flight plan online to Charleston; West Virginia (CRW); but received a clearance to Charleston; South Carolina (CHS).