Narrative:

I had received 1 hour dual in this particular C210 prior to this flight. The collins radios and KN89B GPS were unfamiliar to me, so the decision was made to file IFR but depart only in VFR conditions. Everything was proceeding quite well through takeoff, radar vectors, right up to intercept V518. I evidently had entered the last digit of the frequency incorrectly. This was not evident because of the sun on the display. As I looked for the frequency, flew the plane, and listened to the controller questioning what I was doing, I picked up a direct heading to pmd in VMC while trying to sort things out. Then I received a frequency change, which I executed, but hit 'recall' on the collins radio after the change. This landed me right back on 120.40 with a somewhat frustrated controller. He instructed me to stay with him, proceed direct pmd, and a few mins later handed me off to ZLA, successfully. This problem is simple to determine. New plane to me, unfamiliar equipment, unfamiliar area. Probably the only good part was to abort if IMC. The outcome was ok this time, but in the future any new equipment will receive plenty of VFR time before filing IFR. The remaining 14 hours of this trip were uneventful and pleasant as all of the system were learned and practiced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT INST RATED PLT FLYING A C210 FROM VNY BECOMES CONFUSED WITH THE DEP PROCS GIVEN BY GND CTL.

Narrative: I HAD RECEIVED 1 HR DUAL IN THIS PARTICULAR C210 PRIOR TO THIS FLT. THE COLLINS RADIOS AND KN89B GPS WERE UNFAMILIAR TO ME, SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FILE IFR BUT DEPART ONLY IN VFR CONDITIONS. EVERYTHING WAS PROCEEDING QUITE WELL THROUGH TKOF, RADAR VECTORS, RIGHT UP TO INTERCEPT V518. I EVIDENTLY HAD ENTERED THE LAST DIGIT OF THE FREQ INCORRECTLY. THIS WAS NOT EVIDENT BECAUSE OF THE SUN ON THE DISPLAY. AS I LOOKED FOR THE FREQ, FLEW THE PLANE, AND LISTENED TO THE CTLR QUESTIONING WHAT I WAS DOING, I PICKED UP A DIRECT HDG TO PMD IN VMC WHILE TRYING TO SORT THINGS OUT. THEN I RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE, WHICH I EXECUTED, BUT HIT 'RECALL' ON THE COLLINS RADIO AFTER THE CHANGE. THIS LANDED ME RIGHT BACK ON 120.40 WITH A SOMEWHAT FRUSTRATED CTLR. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO STAY WITH HIM, PROCEED DIRECT PMD, AND A FEW MINS LATER HANDED ME OFF TO ZLA, SUCCESSFULLY. THIS PROB IS SIMPLE TO DETERMINE. NEW PLANE TO ME, UNFAMILIAR EQUIP, UNFAMILIAR AREA. PROBABLY THE ONLY GOOD PART WAS TO ABORT IF IMC. THE OUTCOME WAS OK THIS TIME, BUT IN THE FUTURE ANY NEW EQUIP WILL RECEIVE PLENTY OF VFR TIME BEFORE FILING IFR. THE REMAINING 14 HRS OF THIS TRIP WERE UNEVENTFUL AND PLEASANT AS ALL OF THE SYS WERE LEARNED AND PRACTICED.

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.