Narrative:

Filed IFR to ZZZ; IMC most of the way. Given a vector direct to ZZZ; TRACON asked what approach I would like. I asked for and was given the GPS to runway xx (more or less a straight in). Now I am in the clouds and trying to select that approach in the G430w/GMX200. No such approach in the database. I had just updated the data card a few days ago. In fact; there was no approach to ZZZ for any runway in the database that I could find. Now I am scrambling to figure out what I have done wrong and cannot find any approaches in the database for ZZZ. The only thing I had was a partial (vectors only) approach VOR to runway yy (nowhere near where I was or going to be). Found a hole; cancelled IFR and landed. I called the chart manufacturer this evening to ask if they had heard anybody complain that this database was faulty. After researching it; the tech found that garmin had 'excluded' the GPS approach to runway xx. So how is the pilot supposed to know that beforehand? I had printed out an approach plate for that approach and it is shown as a valid approach online. Socal assigned the approach to me as it is a valid approach as far as they are concerned. The chart manufacturer says they send all approaches for each airport to garmin. Then garmin can delete as they wish; before the chart manufacturer releases the data for our download. Turns out we as pilots are also supposed to check on the garmin website under 'excluded approaches' to see if any approaches at our destination are not in the database update just downloaded. The chart manufacturer sends out weekly notices to all subscribers about problems with their own data in their databases (corrections; additions; etc.); but the manufacturer does not maintain what changes garmin makes. Imagine being IMC; being assigned an approach and then fumbling around with the [GPS] trying to enter a non existent approach. Not fun. Thought others should know of this possibility. [I] have not had this happen before today. So; as part of your preflight on the ground you might want to go to garmin website and look to see if your destination airport has any garmin deleted approaches.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Pilot of a single engine; fixed gear aircraft in IMC requested and was cleared for a GPS approach to destination airport only to find that the GPS approach to that airport was not in his Garmin GPS. Pilot maneuvered to VMC and landed. Pilot later acertained that Garmin 'excludes' certain approaches from their database and pilots must therefore check a Garmin website for 'excluded approaches.'

Narrative: Filed IFR to ZZZ; IMC most of the way. Given a vector direct to ZZZ; TRACON asked what approach I would like. I asked for and was given the GPS to Runway XX (more or less a straight in). Now I am in the clouds and trying to select that approach in the G430w/GMX200. No such approach in the database. I had just updated the data card a few days ago. In fact; there was no approach to ZZZ for any runway in the database that I could find. Now I am scrambling to figure out what I have done wrong and cannot find any approaches in the database for ZZZ. The only thing I had was a partial (Vectors only) approach VOR to Runway YY (nowhere near where I was or going to be). Found a hole; cancelled IFR and landed. I called the chart manufacturer this evening to ask if they had heard anybody complain that this database was faulty. After researching it; the tech found that Garmin had 'excluded' the GPS approach to Runway XX. So how is the pilot supposed to know that beforehand? I had printed out an approach plate for that approach and it is shown as a valid approach online. SoCal assigned the approach to me as it is a valid approach as far as they are concerned. The chart manufacturer says they send all approaches for each airport to Garmin. Then Garmin can delete as they wish; before the chart manufacturer releases the data for our download. Turns out we as pilots are also supposed to check on the Garmin website under 'excluded approaches' to see if any approaches at our destination are not in the database update just downloaded. The chart manufacturer sends out weekly notices to all subscribers about problems with their own data in their databases (corrections; additions; etc.); but the manufacturer does not maintain what changes Garmin makes. Imagine being IMC; being assigned an approach and then fumbling around with the [GPS] trying to enter a non existent approach. Not fun. Thought others should know of this possibility. [I] have not had this happen before today. So; as part of your preflight on the ground you might want to go to Garmin website and look to see if your destination airport has any Garmin deleted approaches.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.