Small aircraft pilot unable to comply with routine ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	132995
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 7dz airport : 7d2
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 328 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	132995
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was cleared to the brooks airport, marshall, mi via radar vectors to the 281 degree right of dtw VOR, then to a fix. I had flight planned for an alternate route, so this route was an amended clearance. Upon examination of my low altitude en route, I found no VOR depicted for dtw or det. When I informed ATC that I had no information on the VOR, they were despondent. They said that I had been operational for over a year. They finally relented and gave me a radar vector until I could pick up jxn VOR for my navigation. What caused the problem is my not having the area chart for the det metropolitan area. Also, this was my first IFR x-country solo. Having area charts should be regarded the same as having sids or stars. ATC needs to realize that all of us are learning, some have more to learn than others--namely, me!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH ROUTINE ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO THE BROOKS ARPT, MARSHALL, MI VIA RADAR VECTORS TO THE 281 DEG R OF DTW VOR, THEN TO A FIX. I HAD FLT PLANNED FOR AN ALTERNATE ROUTE, SO THIS ROUTE WAS AN AMENDED CLRNC. UPON EXAMINATION OF MY LOW ALT ENRTE, I FOUND NO VOR DEPICTED FOR DTW OR DET. WHEN I INFORMED ATC THAT I HAD NO INFO ON THE VOR, THEY WERE DESPONDENT. THEY SAID THAT I HAD BEEN OPERATIONAL FOR OVER A YEAR. THEY FINALLY RELENTED AND GAVE ME A RADAR VECTOR UNTIL I COULD PICK UP JXN VOR FOR MY NAV. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB IS MY NOT HAVING THE AREA CHART FOR THE DET METRO AREA. ALSO, THIS WAS MY FIRST IFR X-COUNTRY SOLO. HAVING AREA CHARTS SHOULD BE REGARDED THE SAME AS HAVING SIDS OR STARS. ATC NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT ALL OF US ARE LEARNING, SOME HAVE MORE TO LEARN THAN OTHERS--NAMELY, ME!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.