A PA28 communication pilot attempts to make a straight-in approach to apc runway 6 VOR DME approach ...

Attributes
ACN	438932
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sgd.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 855 flight time type : 373
ASRS Report	438932
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying 'under the hood' and called ZOA for a practice VOR 6 approach to apc. I was about 5 mi west of the sgd VOR. ZOA gave me direct sgd, outbound on the 230 degree radial. I set my obs to 230(?) degrees and flew more or less direct to scaggs, even though I was correcting in the wrong direction! I then picked up a 050 degree heading (final approach course), with the obs still set to 230 degrees. I was getting more confused by the second, as I made corrections in the wrong direction. I was also descending. In other words, I was flying the approach! I knew I was screwing up, but absolutely could not get focused on the solution. My safety pilot (who isn't instrument rated) had even questioned my heading and altitude a couple of times. At this point, I removed my hood and told ZOA that I was screwed up and returning to the VOR. They questioned my intentions and then, probably after observing me on radar, canceled me and told me to contact napa tower. I was within napa's airspace at this time so I called them, explained briefly and told them I was clearing their airspace. In my yrs of flying, this is the most bizarre thing I've had happen to me. I simply could not get my mind to work on a solution to a very simple problem. I've read numerous accident reports (mostly from cockpit voice recorders) where this type of thing has occurred, and wondered how professional pilots could do something like this. I did not think this could happen to me -- especially without an emergency of some type that completely overloaded my brain. I now know that it can happen, but what I don't know is how to break the cycle. In this case, I was lucky since I was VFR. I landed, had lunch and talked things over with my friend.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 COM PLT ATTEMPTS TO MAKE A STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO APC RWY 6 VOR DME APCH WHEN HE HAD BEEN CLRED OUT THE 230 DEG RADIAL BY ZOA, CA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING 'UNDER THE HOOD' AND CALLED ZOA FOR A PRACTICE VOR 6 APCH TO APC. I WAS ABOUT 5 MI W OF THE SGD VOR. ZOA GAVE ME DIRECT SGD, OUTBOUND ON THE 230 DEG RADIAL. I SET MY OBS TO 230(?) DEGS AND FLEW MORE OR LESS DIRECT TO SCAGGS, EVEN THOUGH I WAS CORRECTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION! I THEN PICKED UP A 050 DEG HDG (FINAL APCH COURSE), WITH THE OBS STILL SET TO 230 DEGS. I WAS GETTING MORE CONFUSED BY THE SECOND, AS I MADE CORRECTIONS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. I WAS ALSO DSNDING. IN OTHER WORDS, I WAS FLYING THE APCH! I KNEW I WAS SCREWING UP, BUT ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT GET FOCUSED ON THE SOLUTION. MY SAFETY PLT (WHO ISN'T INST RATED) HAD EVEN QUESTIONED MY HDG AND ALT A COUPLE OF TIMES. AT THIS POINT, I REMOVED MY HOOD AND TOLD ZOA THAT I WAS SCREWED UP AND RETURNING TO THE VOR. THEY QUESTIONED MY INTENTIONS AND THEN, PROBABLY AFTER OBSERVING ME ON RADAR, CANCELED ME AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT NAPA TWR. I WAS WITHIN NAPA'S AIRSPACE AT THIS TIME SO I CALLED THEM, EXPLAINED BRIEFLY AND TOLD THEM I WAS CLRING THEIR AIRSPACE. IN MY YRS OF FLYING, THIS IS THE MOST BIZARRE THING I'VE HAD HAPPEN TO ME. I SIMPLY COULD NOT GET MY MIND TO WORK ON A SOLUTION TO A VERY SIMPLE PROB. I'VE READ NUMEROUS ACCIDENT RPTS (MOSTLY FROM COCKPIT VOICE RECORDERS) WHERE THIS TYPE OF THING HAS OCCURRED, AND WONDERED HOW PROFESSIONAL PLTS COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I DID NOT THINK THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ME -- ESPECIALLY WITHOUT AN EMER OF SOME TYPE THAT COMPLETELY OVERLOADED MY BRAIN. I NOW KNOW THAT IT CAN HAPPEN, BUT WHAT I DON'T KNOW IS HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE. IN THIS CASE, I WAS LUCKY SINCE I WAS VFR. I LANDED, HAD LUNCH AND TALKED THINGS OVER WITH MY FRIEND.

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.

A PA28 communication pilot attempts to make a straight-in approach to apc runway 6 VOR DME approach when he had been cleared out the 230 degree radial by ZOA, ca.