Narrative:

I converted from a VFR flight plan to IFR at sac because low ceilings reported at destination, HUD airport. VFR from mfr to HUD. I am instrument current. Bay controller expressed dissatisfaction that I did not have DME and stated I had DME indicated on flight plan, he was wrong, I filed small aircraft. When he cleared me on to VOR a approach he cleared me to intercept 114 right oak. I had studied approach plate an had my mind fixed on taking the heading of 294. I did confuse the heading and right but proceeded on the proper heading of 294 but told the controller I was proceeding on heading of 294. In my confusion I expressed concern regarding the 114 right stating I had turned to 294 and the approach showed 294. He became angry questioned if I was an instrument pilot and was generally belligerent. I became more questioning of my proper 294 heading (on the 114 right), lost perspective, wandered off the course. In the moment of turmoil I accidentally and unintentionally turned my heading compass off of the correct heading and could not promptly respond to ATC request I change heading. ATC was concerned regarding my proximity to hills. I was in VFR conditions, cancelled IFR and landed VFR. I believe that the incident described had multiple causes. I was flying for 6 hours into an airport at which I had never landed before, fatigue was present. I anticipated bay approach with much anxiety...they have a reputation. I had never flown a non horizontal VOR approach. The general abusive quality of the ATC increased my confusion and the seriousness of the mental lapse. I was correctly on the course until he began to challenge and question me (regarding readback). However, once confused I failed to perform a proper missed approach when I found myself off the course. In my judgement I need to learn to operate in IFR circumstances under stress west/O such lapses. (I have never been involved in an accident or incident). More training around pressured approachs in new settings are needed and will be pursued. West/O projecting blame unduly, the conduct of the ATC did much to precipitate the situation. There was no helpfulness or understanding, but sharp criticism and accusation. I am PIC and responsible, but ATC must understand that they can trigger or exaggerate a distressed situation. None of my errors were due to a basic lack of knowledge...basically what occurred was a series of lapses.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK AND HEADING DEVIATION ON INSTRUMENT APCH. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: I CONVERTED FROM A VFR FLT PLAN TO IFR AT SAC BECAUSE LOW CEILINGS RPTED AT DEST, HUD ARPT. VFR FROM MFR TO HUD. I AM INSTRUMENT CURRENT. BAY CTLR EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION THAT I DID NOT HAVE DME AND STATED I HAD DME INDICATED ON FLT PLAN, HE WAS WRONG, I FILED SMA. WHEN HE CLRED ME ON TO VOR A APCH HE CLRED ME TO INTERCEPT 114 R OAK. I HAD STUDIED APCH PLATE AN HAD MY MIND FIXED ON TAKING THE HDG OF 294. I DID CONFUSE THE HDG AND R BUT PROCEEDED ON THE PROPER HDG OF 294 BUT TOLD THE CTLR I WAS PROCEEDING ON HDG OF 294. IN MY CONFUSION I EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE 114 R STATING I HAD TURNED TO 294 AND THE APCH SHOWED 294. HE BECAME ANGRY QUESTIONED IF I WAS AN INSTRUMENT PLT AND WAS GENERALLY BELLIGERENT. I BECAME MORE QUESTIONING OF MY PROPER 294 HDG (ON THE 114 R), LOST PERSPECTIVE, WANDERED OFF THE COURSE. IN THE MOMENT OF TURMOIL I ACCIDENTALLY AND UNINTENTIONALLY TURNED MY HDG COMPASS OFF OF THE CORRECT HDG AND COULD NOT PROMPTLY RESPOND TO ATC REQUEST I CHANGE HDG. ATC WAS CONCERNED REGARDING MY PROX TO HILLS. I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS, CANCELLED IFR AND LANDED VFR. I BELIEVE THAT THE INCIDENT DESCRIBED HAD MULTIPLE CAUSES. I WAS FLYING FOR 6 HRS INTO AN ARPT AT WHICH I HAD NEVER LANDED BEFORE, FATIGUE WAS PRESENT. I ANTICIPATED BAY APCH WITH MUCH ANXIETY...THEY HAVE A REPUTATION. I HAD NEVER FLOWN A NON HORIZ VOR APCH. THE GENERAL ABUSIVE QUALITY OF THE ATC INCREASED MY CONFUSION AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE MENTAL LAPSE. I WAS CORRECTLY ON THE COURSE UNTIL HE BEGAN TO CHALLENGE AND QUESTION ME (REGARDING READBACK). HOWEVER, ONCE CONFUSED I FAILED TO PERFORM A PROPER MISSED APCH WHEN I FOUND MYSELF OFF THE COURSE. IN MY JUDGEMENT I NEED TO LEARN TO OPERATE IN IFR CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER STRESS W/O SUCH LAPSES. (I HAVE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT). MORE TRAINING AROUND PRESSURED APCHS IN NEW SETTINGS ARE NEEDED AND WILL BE PURSUED. W/O PROJECTING BLAME UNDULY, THE CONDUCT OF THE ATC DID MUCH TO PRECIPITATE THE SITUATION. THERE WAS NO HELPFULNESS OR UNDERSTANDING, BUT SHARP CRITICISM AND ACCUSATION. I AM PIC AND RESPONSIBLE, BUT ATC MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN TRIGGER OR EXAGGERATE A DISTRESSED SITUATION. NONE OF MY ERRORS WERE DUE TO A BASIC LACK OF KNOWLEDGE...BASICALLY WHAT OCCURRED WAS A SERIES OF LAPSES.

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.