An small transport misused some of his fancy navigation equipment and almost had a disaster.

Attributes
ACN	237737
Time
Date	199303
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : y62
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czyz
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	237737
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Instrument flight from gaylord (glr) to sanderson (Y62). I had received permission for a straight-in VOR runway 32 approach. I had RNAV tuned in to intercept point but continued to fly (on autoplt) direct to the airport by LORAN. I don't know if I hit the FLIP flop switch (changes directional gyroscope from RNAV to LORAN) once or twice. I started my descent from 3000 ft to 2000 ft when I recognized I had already passed the VOR inbound. I continued my descent to minimums and finally recognized, by use of LORAN and RNAV, that I had approached from the south instead of southeast. I got ground contact and was able to complete an otherwise uneventful landing (by the grace of god and my familiarity with the area). I had actually started a missed approach when I got ground contact about 200 ft AGL. Conclusions: I fly this approach twice each week, 52 weeks/yr. I got sloppy and didn't check and rechk the information I was receiving. I dropped below MDA while attempting to figure out what happened. No excuses. I screwed up a simple approach. This was one time having so much sophistication (instrumentally) could have been fatal. P.south. The FLIP flop switch is functioning satisfactorily. Unfortunately, I wasn't.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMT MISUSED SOME OF HIS FANCY NAV EQUIP AND ALMOST HAD A DISASTER.

Narrative: INST FLT FROM GAYLORD (GLR) TO SANDERSON (Y62). I HAD RECEIVED PERMISSION FOR A STRAIGHT-IN VOR RWY 32 APCH. I HAD RNAV TUNED IN TO INTERCEPT POINT BUT CONTINUED TO FLY (ON AUTOPLT) DIRECT TO THE ARPT BY LORAN. I DON'T KNOW IF I HIT THE FLIP FLOP SWITCH (CHANGES DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE FROM RNAV TO LORAN) ONCE OR TWICE. I STARTED MY DSCNT FROM 3000 FT TO 2000 FT WHEN I RECOGNIZED I HAD ALREADY PASSED THE VOR INBOUND. I CONTINUED MY DSCNT TO MINIMUMS AND FINALLY RECOGNIZED, BY USE OF LORAN AND RNAV, THAT I HAD APCHED FROM THE S INSTEAD OF SE. I GOT GND CONTACT AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE AN OTHERWISE UNEVENTFUL LNDG (BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND MY FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA). I HAD ACTUALLY STARTED A MISSED APCH WHEN I GOT GND CONTACT ABOUT 200 FT AGL. CONCLUSIONS: I FLY THIS APCH TWICE EACH WK, 52 WKS/YR. I GOT SLOPPY AND DIDN'T CHK AND RECHK THE INFO I WAS RECEIVING. I DROPPED BELOW MDA WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. NO EXCUSES. I SCREWED UP A SIMPLE APCH. THIS WAS ONE TIME HAVING SO MUCH SOPHISTICATION (INSTRUMENTALLY) COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. P.S. THE FLIP FLOP SWITCH IS FUNCTIONING SATISFACTORILY. UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T.

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.