Narrative:

It was about PM30, 12/89. I was on an ILS 23 into saranac lake, ny. I was cleared for the approach down to 4800' until established. Cancel on the ground with burlington FSS and cleared from the frequency. I picked up an outbnd heading of 049 degrees from slk 109.2 VOR and used the autoplt on heading mode instead of VOR (first mistake). I must have drifted south from a strong north wind, because I never picked up the ILS localizer. At 9 mi from the VOR I headed outbnd on the 004 degree right for the procedure turn. 1 min and turned to a heading of 184 degrees. Still hadn't picked up the localizer. The VOR on 109.2 said to fly left, so I continued on the heading of 184 degrees (second mistake). I had descended to 4300'. I was in VFR condition until 4500', which was the top of the clouds. I had not turned the VOR to 229 degrees, so I was reverse sensing. The ILS was pegged to the right and I thought that I was out of range. I continued the 184 degree heading for about 2 mins. Realizing that things were not correct, I climbed to 5500' and VFR conditions and got ZBW and reported missed approach. They told me that I was 15 mi off course. They were worried, what was the problem? What did I want to do? I said 'try it again,' but by that time I was so shook up that I was 2 mi off course on the outbnd. They asked if I would like to go to burlington which had VFR and I said ok.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: IT WAS ABOUT PM30, 12/89. I WAS ON AN ILS 23 INTO SARANAC LAKE, NY. I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH DOWN TO 4800' UNTIL ESTABLISHED. CANCEL ON THE GND WITH BURLINGTON FSS AND CLRED FROM THE FREQ. I PICKED UP AN OUTBND HDG OF 049 DEGS FROM SLK 109.2 VOR AND USED THE AUTOPLT ON HDG MODE INSTEAD OF VOR (FIRST MISTAKE). I MUST HAVE DRIFTED S FROM A STRONG N WIND, BECAUSE I NEVER PICKED UP THE ILS LOC. AT 9 MI FROM THE VOR I HEADED OUTBND ON THE 004 DEG R FOR THE PROC TURN. 1 MIN AND TURNED TO A HDG OF 184 DEGS. STILL HADN'T PICKED UP THE LOC. THE VOR ON 109.2 SAID TO FLY LEFT, SO I CONTINUED ON THE HDG OF 184 DEGS (SECOND MISTAKE). I HAD DSNDED TO 4300'. I WAS IN VFR CONDITION UNTIL 4500', WHICH WAS THE TOP OF THE CLOUDS. I HAD NOT TURNED THE VOR TO 229 DEGS, SO I WAS REVERSE SENSING. THE ILS WAS PEGGED TO THE RIGHT AND I THOUGHT THAT I WAS OUT OF RANGE. I CONTINUED THE 184 DEG HDG FOR ABOUT 2 MINS. REALIZING THAT THINGS WERE NOT CORRECT, I CLBED TO 5500' AND VFR CONDITIONS AND GOT ZBW AND RPTED MISSED APCH. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS 15 MI OFF COURSE. THEY WERE WORRIED, WHAT WAS THE PROB? WHAT DID I WANT TO DO? I SAID 'TRY IT AGAIN,' BUT BY THAT TIME I WAS SO SHOOK UP THAT I WAS 2 MI OFF COURSE ON THE OUTBND. THEY ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO BURLINGTON WHICH HAD VFR AND I SAID OK.

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.