Narrative:

Took off runway 30 morristown municipal on morristown 3 departure expecting radar vectors to brezy intersection. Had sbj 055 degree raidal on VOR #1 with standby frequency cmk VOR 086 degree radial, VOR #2 was set to ing VOR, obs at 037 degree to receive 217 degree radial defining brezy intersection. Tower did not release us to departure until we advised at 1700 ft and turning to 160 degree heading. Departure had us fly 090 degrees, which took us past the 217 degree radial from kingston, then told us to fly 010 degrees, to intercept the 217 degree radial from kingston to brezy. I flew for some time, but forgot that navigation #2 was set for the 217 degree radial. When I saw that VOR #2 had centered, I thought I was already at brezy, because I usually fly using VOR #1 for course and xchk with #2. Here I was doing the opposite, using #1 for the xchk and #2 for course. While still 17 mi from brezy, I turned right to 086 degrees, thinking I was already there. ATC caught it, and vectored me back with a heading of 250 degrees, but I was still confused and turned to 270 degrees and missed the radial to the west (I think I was now trying to center navigation #1 by going west). Again, ATC caught the mistake, gave me a new vector and then as I completed my climb and was turned over to a new controller, who gave me direct carmel (which I was going to go to after brezy according to my clearance), I finally got things sorted out. Several things contributed to this incident. I did not get enough sleep the night before and was tired. I had acted as safety pilot on the 1.5 hour trip to morristown and we did not have lunch before heading back, so I was also hungry. I also may have done something not permitted in the FARS by mistake and inadvertently. I was flying under the hood to get some simulated instrument time, but my safety pilot is not yet instrument rated, although he is close to taking his check ride. While we were in VFR WX, perhaps I should have had an instrument rated pilot to act as safety pilot on an IFR flight plan. He tried to warn me that something was wrong, but he did not say, 'we are not yet at brezy, stay on the radial you are tracking on VOR #2.' finally, I was not looking at my instrument chart enough and noting my position, so I lost situational awareness and made a very significant mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUMENT RATED PLT OF A CESSNA 172 FAILED TO INTERCEPT THE CORRECT VOR RADIAL DURING SID DEP RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS TO VECTOR THE RPTR BACK TO THE INTENDED COURSE.

Narrative: TOOK OFF RWY 30 MORRISTOWN MUNICIPAL ON MORRISTOWN 3 DEP EXPECTING RADAR VECTORS TO BREZY INTXN. HAD SBJ 055 DEG RAIDAL ON VOR #1 WITH STANDBY FREQ CMK VOR 086 DEG RADIAL, VOR #2 WAS SET TO ING VOR, OBS AT 037 DEG TO RECEIVE 217 DEG RADIAL DEFINING BREZY INTXN. TWR DID NOT RELEASE US TO DEP UNTIL WE ADVISED AT 1700 FT AND TURNING TO 160 DEG HDG. DEP HAD US FLY 090 DEGS, WHICH TOOK US PAST THE 217 DEG RADIAL FROM KINGSTON, THEN TOLD US TO FLY 010 DEGS, TO INTERCEPT THE 217 DEG RADIAL FROM KINGSTON TO BREZY. I FLEW FOR SOME TIME, BUT FORGOT THAT NAV #2 WAS SET FOR THE 217 DEG RADIAL. WHEN I SAW THAT VOR #2 HAD CTRED, I THOUGHT I WAS ALREADY AT BREZY, BECAUSE I USUALLY FLY USING VOR #1 FOR COURSE AND XCHK WITH #2. HERE I WAS DOING THE OPPOSITE, USING #1 FOR THE XCHK AND #2 FOR COURSE. WHILE STILL 17 MI FROM BREZY, I TURNED R TO 086 DEGS, THINKING I WAS ALREADY THERE. ATC CAUGHT IT, AND VECTORED ME BACK WITH A HDG OF 250 DEGS, BUT I WAS STILL CONFUSED AND TURNED TO 270 DEGS AND MISSED THE RADIAL TO THE W (I THINK I WAS NOW TRYING TO CTR NAV #1 BY GOING W). AGAIN, ATC CAUGHT THE MISTAKE, GAVE ME A NEW VECTOR AND THEN AS I COMPLETED MY CLB AND WAS TURNED OVER TO A NEW CTLR, WHO GAVE ME DIRECT CARMEL (WHICH I WAS GOING TO GO TO AFTER BREZY ACCORDING TO MY CLRNC), I FINALLY GOT THINGS SORTED OUT. SEVERAL THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. I DID NOT GET ENOUGH SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE AND WAS TIRED. I HAD ACTED AS SAFETY PLT ON THE 1.5 HR TRIP TO MORRISTOWN AND WE DID NOT HAVE LUNCH BEFORE HEADING BACK, SO I WAS ALSO HUNGRY. I ALSO MAY HAVE DONE SOMETHING NOT PERMITTED IN THE FARS BY MISTAKE AND INADVERTENTLY. I WAS FLYING UNDER THE HOOD TO GET SOME SIMULATED INST TIME, BUT MY SAFETY PLT IS NOT YET INST RATED, ALTHOUGH HE IS CLOSE TO TAKING HIS CHK RIDE. WHILE WE WERE IN VFR WX, PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE HAD AN INST RATED PLT TO ACT AS SAFETY PLT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. HE TRIED TO WARN ME THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, BUT HE DID NOT SAY, 'WE ARE NOT YET AT BREZY, STAY ON THE RADIAL YOU ARE TRACKING ON VOR #2.' FINALLY, I WAS NOT LOOKING AT MY INST CHART ENOUGH AND NOTING MY POS, SO I LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND MADE A VERY SIGNIFICANT MISTAKE.

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.