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Reporter experienced difficulty becoming established on the approach course due to what turned out to be a stuck needle on the VOR receiver.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 106370 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198903 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : apc |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 550 |
| ASRS Report | 106370 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The ARTCC controller gave me clearance for the VOR approach into napa. I had a great deal of problems becoming oriented, later to find out that my VOR needle was sticking and I was not able to fix on the outbnd radial. I requested radar vectors but she was not able. I then requested an ILS into sonoma county which I completed. Two things made the problem even worse. The turbulence made it almost impossible to maintain altitude and I did not familiarize myself with this approach well enough. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Reporter states that he did not actually discover the stuck VOR needle until he was attempting to make an ILS approach at the second airport. Until then he was unsure why he could not navigation properly. He states further that the air traffic controller was very unresponsive and he feels did very little to help him.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: REPORTER EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY BECOMING ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH COURSE DUE TO WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A STUCK NEEDLE ON THE VOR RECEIVER.
Narrative: THE ARTCC CTLR GAVE ME CLRNC FOR THE VOR APCH INTO NAPA. I HAD A GREAT DEAL OF PROBS BECOMING ORIENTED, LATER TO FIND OUT THAT MY VOR NEEDLE WAS STICKING AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIX ON THE OUTBND RADIAL. I REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS BUT SHE WAS NOT ABLE. I THEN REQUESTED AN ILS INTO SONOMA COUNTY WHICH I COMPLETED. TWO THINGS MADE THE PROB EVEN WORSE. THE TURB MADE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND I DID NOT FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THIS APCH WELL ENOUGH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES THAT HE DID NOT ACTUALLY DISCOVER THE STUCK VOR NEEDLE UNTIL HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AN ILS APCH AT THE SECOND ARPT. UNTIL THEN HE WAS UNSURE WHY HE COULD NOT NAV PROPERLY. HE STATES FURTHER THAT THE AIR TFC CTLR WAS VERY UNRESPONSIVE AND HE FEELS DID VERY LITTLE TO HELP HIM.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.