<< >> NASA ASRS Report 393190, February 1998

Pilot of small aircraft on GPS approach is off course and ATC queries him. He is in VMC and cancels IFR. Discovers he programmed the wrong approach into the GPS.

Attributes
ACN	393190
Time
Date	199802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hio
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3400 msl bound upper : 3400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pdx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 1485 flight time type : 856
ASRS Report	393190
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a GPS-B approach to hio, portland approach control asked if I was on the GPS-B approach. I said 'yes' and we discussed my location relative to the NDB. I then noticed my error, informed them I was in VFR conditions and canceled IFR. They handed me over to tower and I landed without incident. I had entered the GPS-a with IAF of ubg instead of GPS-B with IAF ubg into the KLN90B. The initial leg on the wrong approach was nearly parallel to the initial leg on the correct approach. Without knowing this I entered obs mode on the IAF and began timing of the outbound leg, procedure turn, etc, based on the wrong waypoint. This put my entire procedure off by several mi, but nevertheless in the area where the correct procedure would have been flown. This initially added confusion and time to clearly understand what had happened when approach called. This mistake is similar to one I made 2 weeks ago and has underlined for me the need to be more familiar with the approach waypoints I load before using them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON GPS APCH IS OFF COURSE AND ATC QUERIES HIM. HE IS IN VMC AND CANCELS IFR. DISCOVERS HE PROGRAMMED THE WRONG APCH INTO THE GPS.

Narrative: WHILE ON A GPS-B APCH TO HIO, PORTLAND APCH CTL ASKED IF I WAS ON THE GPS-B APCH. I SAID 'YES' AND WE DISCUSSED MY LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE NDB. I THEN NOTICED MY ERROR, INFORMED THEM I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND CANCELED IFR. THEY HANDED ME OVER TO TWR AND I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAD ENTERED THE GPS-A WITH IAF OF UBG INSTEAD OF GPS-B WITH IAF UBG INTO THE KLN90B. THE INITIAL LEG ON THE WRONG APCH WAS NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE INITIAL LEG ON THE CORRECT APCH. WITHOUT KNOWING THIS I ENTERED OBS MODE ON THE IAF AND BEGAN TIMING OF THE OUTBOUND LEG, PROC TURN, ETC, BASED ON THE WRONG WAYPOINT. THIS PUT MY ENTIRE PROC OFF BY SEVERAL MI, BUT NEVERTHELESS IN THE AREA WHERE THE CORRECT PROC WOULD HAVE BEEN FLOWN. THIS INITIALLY ADDED CONFUSION AND TIME TO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED WHEN APCH CALLED. THIS MISTAKE IS SIMILAR TO ONE I MADE 2 WKS AGO AND HAS UNDERLINED FOR ME THE NEED TO BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE APCH WAYPOINTS I LOAD BEFORE USING THEM.

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.