Narrative:

Over xen NDB in IMC on IFR plan dayton approach (day) vectored me to final approach of the greene county, dayton, oh, NDB 25. I joined the final on a heading of 246 degrees to xenia (xen 395) NDB. I was cleared for the approach and started down to my step down of 1900 ft. However, I lost the radial inbound of 246 degrees and set off the ground proximity radar at dayton. Day was calling me as I came back on frequency to declare my missed. Day instructed me northbound at 4000 ft. I went around for another try. I joined the radial of 246 and tracked it inbound. Day cleared me down to 3000 ft. Inbound to xen I again moved north of the desired track. Day alerted me of this and I concurred. Day gave me a heading of 180 degrees to rejoin. Even though I knew I was within 2-3 NM of the NDB, I complied in order to figure out what I was doing wrong. Moving south, the ADF needle moved on to 246 degrees on the RMI very quickly and off course it was inadvisable to try to catch it as it would have required an excessive bank angle in IMC conditions. So once again I declared missed and was given a heading of 090 degrees left turn and back up to 3000 ft (maybe 4000 ft). I was offered the full procedure turn or another vector to final. I opted for the latter. 12 mi out, a new controller on the same frequency vectored me to the inbound of 246 degrees at 3000 ft. Day asked that I report established. When so, I reported as requested and started down to my step down of 1900 ft MSL. Within 30 seconds day said it had not cleared me for the approach and that it needed me back up at 3000 ft, but 2700 ft would be just fine. So I reversed my vertical course and went up to 2700 ft and apologized. This time I stayed on course wondering what I was doing wrong! Then I noticed that the RMI compass was not in agreement with my primary HSI compass. I adjusted same, tracked it to the NDB and landed. Day called greene county airport to see if I landed was given an affirmative answer. Factor 1: rusty NDB procedures. Factor 2: the 2 compasses did not agree with each other which caused me to steer wrong headings on the autoplt. Factor 3: I was rushed to get to the ground as my airline flight was leaving at XA15 from day to cle. Solution: pull out my vhs named 'using the ADF' and review same. Solution: adjust the #2 flux gate to agree with #1 compass. Solution: never again get pressed against the wall of time. Solution: opt for NDB approachs more often, WX permitting.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT EXECUTES 2 MAP DUE HDG PROBS. ON THIRD APCH BECAME AWARE THAT RMI COMPASS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH PRIMARY HSI COMPASS.

Narrative: OVER XEN NDB IN IMC ON IFR PLAN DAYTON APCH (DAY) VECTORED ME TO FINAL APCH OF THE GREENE COUNTY, DAYTON, OH, NDB 25. I JOINED THE FINAL ON A HDG OF 246 DEGS TO XENIA (XEN 395) NDB. I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH AND STARTED DOWN TO MY STEP DOWN OF 1900 FT. HOWEVER, I LOST THE RADIAL INBOUND OF 246 DEGS AND SET OFF THE GND PROX RADAR AT DAYTON. DAY WAS CALLING ME AS I CAME BACK ON FREQ TO DECLARE MY MISSED. DAY INSTRUCTED ME NBOUND AT 4000 FT. I WENT AROUND FOR ANOTHER TRY. I JOINED THE RADIAL OF 246 AND TRACKED IT INBOUND. DAY CLRED ME DOWN TO 3000 FT. INBOUND TO XEN I AGAIN MOVED N OF THE DESIRED TRACK. DAY ALERTED ME OF THIS AND I CONCURRED. DAY GAVE ME A HDG OF 180 DEGS TO REJOIN. EVEN THOUGH I KNEW I WAS WITHIN 2-3 NM OF THE NDB, I COMPLIED IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WAS DOING WRONG. MOVING S, THE ADF NEEDLE MOVED ON TO 246 DEGS ON THE RMI VERY QUICKLY AND OFF COURSE IT WAS INADVISABLE TO TRY TO CATCH IT AS IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED AN EXCESSIVE BANK ANGLE IN IMC CONDITIONS. SO ONCE AGAIN I DECLARED MISSED AND WAS GIVEN A HDG OF 090 DEGS L TURN AND BACK UP TO 3000 FT (MAYBE 4000 FT). I WAS OFFERED THE FULL PROC TURN OR ANOTHER VECTOR TO FINAL. I OPTED FOR THE LATTER. 12 MI OUT, A NEW CTLR ON THE SAME FREQ VECTORED ME TO THE INBOUND OF 246 DEGS AT 3000 FT. DAY ASKED THAT I RPT ESTABLISHED. WHEN SO, I RPTED AS REQUESTED AND STARTED DOWN TO MY STEP DOWN OF 1900 FT MSL. WITHIN 30 SECONDS DAY SAID IT HAD NOT CLRED ME FOR THE APCH AND THAT IT NEEDED ME BACK UP AT 3000 FT, BUT 2700 FT WOULD BE JUST FINE. SO I REVERSED MY VERT COURSE AND WENT UP TO 2700 FT AND APOLOGIZED. THIS TIME I STAYED ON COURSE WONDERING WHAT I WAS DOING WRONG! THEN I NOTICED THAT THE RMI COMPASS WAS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH MY PRIMARY HSI COMPASS. I ADJUSTED SAME, TRACKED IT TO THE NDB AND LANDED. DAY CALLED GREENE COUNTY ARPT TO SEE IF I LANDED WAS GIVEN AN AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER. FACTOR 1: RUSTY NDB PROCS. FACTOR 2: THE 2 COMPASSES DID NOT AGREE WITH EACH OTHER WHICH CAUSED ME TO STEER WRONG HDGS ON THE AUTOPLT. FACTOR 3: I WAS RUSHED TO GET TO THE GND AS MY AIRLINE FLT WAS LEAVING AT XA15 FROM DAY TO CLE. SOLUTION: PULL OUT MY VHS NAMED 'USING THE ADF' AND REVIEW SAME. SOLUTION: ADJUST THE #2 FLUX GATE TO AGREE WITH #1 COMPASS. SOLUTION: NEVER AGAIN GET PRESSED AGAINST THE WALL OF TIME. SOLUTION: OPT FOR NDB APCHS MORE OFTEN, WX PERMITTING.

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.