Small aircraft pilot files IFR direct without proper equipment. No RNAV.

Attributes
ACN	184233
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : olu
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : olu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	184233
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called columbus FSS and asked for columbus to wichita direct IFR flight plan. I now realize that I did not have RNAV equipment needed to do this. In training I had filed direct on several occasions but not such great distances. The WX was VFR and I never strayed off course. No near misses occurred and I was handed off to wichita approach with no problems. There were thunderstorms in the wichita area but these were navigated with help from wichita approach. My error as I see it was filing IFR direct without the proper navigation equipment needed for such. My aircraft has uniform. During the flight I never worried about straying off track as we were using pilotage and intersecting navaids all the time. I was queried by kc center about what radial I was flying to wichita. Track was 185 degree. Never again will I ask for IFR direct until I have the equipment necessary. I did realize my mistake when I lost columbus VOR and did not pick up wichita VOR for about 20 NM. I feel that in training more emphasis should be placed on filing flight plans and planning cross country flts. I have talked to a flight instructor and am currently refreshing myself with the FARS. I have had my instrument rating for 5 months and am still a little uncomfortable with the filing clearance procedure but hopefully will get better with time. I did file IFR because of the thunderstorms in the wichita area upon reflection I should have asked for VFR flight following.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FILES IFR DIRECT WITHOUT PROPER EQUIP. NO RNAV.

Narrative: I CALLED COLUMBUS FSS AND ASKED FOR COLUMBUS TO WICHITA DIRECT IFR FLT PLAN. I NOW REALIZE THAT I DID NOT HAVE RNAV EQUIP NEEDED TO DO THIS. IN TRAINING I HAD FILED DIRECT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT NOT SUCH GREAT DISTANCES. THE WX WAS VFR AND I NEVER STRAYED OFF COURSE. NO NEAR MISSES OCCURRED AND I WAS HANDED OFF TO WICHITA APCH WITH NO PROBLEMS. THERE WERE TSTMS IN THE WICHITA AREA BUT THESE WERE NAVIGATED WITH HELP FROM WICHITA APCH. MY ERROR AS I SEE IT WAS FILING IFR DIRECT WITHOUT THE PROPER NAV EQUIP NEEDED FOR SUCH. MY ACFT HAS UNIFORM. DURING THE FLT I NEVER WORRIED ABOUT STRAYING OFF TRACK AS WE WERE USING PILOTAGE AND INTERSECTING NAVAIDS ALL THE TIME. I WAS QUERIED BY KC CTR ABOUT WHAT RADIAL I WAS FLYING TO WICHITA. TRACK WAS 185 DEG. NEVER AGAIN WILL I ASK FOR IFR DIRECT UNTIL I HAVE THE EQUIP NECESSARY. I DID REALIZE MY MISTAKE WHEN I LOST COLUMBUS VOR AND DID NOT PICK UP WICHITA VOR FOR ABOUT 20 NM. I FEEL THAT IN TRAINING MORE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON FILING FLT PLANS AND PLANNING XCOUNTRY FLTS. I HAVE TALKED TO A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND AM CURRENTLY REFRESHING MYSELF WITH THE FARS. I HAVE HAD MY INST RATING FOR 5 MONTHS AND AM STILL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE FILING CLRNC PROC BUT HOPEFULLY WILL GET BETTER WITH TIME. I DID FILE IFR BECAUSE OF THE TSTMS IN THE WICHITA AREA UPON REFLECTION I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING.

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.