Narrative:

On IFR practice approach to lodi, ca, with needle centered on 285 degree radial of linden VOR, I was about 2 mi south of the lodi airport at expiration of time for the approach. When I left approach frequency for lodi unicom, I told controller I would fly the published missed approach. Controller asked that I report back while north the missed approach. I made a climbing left turn and knowing it took me south of the airport and south of the 105 degree radial back to linden, I flew 90 degrees to intercept the 105 degree radial. I contacted approach and was given a heading to fly 120 degrees to my next approach which was to be at stockton. I was then questioned by a second controller as to my intentions. I repeated the heading I was turning to (120 degrees). I was given next 'fly 130 degrees.' then asked again what my intentions were because I was showing on their screen to be north of lodi airport. I was established on 130 degree heading when I was queried again why I flew north of the airport. I replied I was flying 130 degrees and trying to ascertain what happened. I believe I flew north of the airport. I think the distance (15 mi) from the linden VOR to the airport made the obs reading somewhat inaccurate. I would have done better by completing my climbing turn to a 105 degree heading and gone directly to linden VOR. Also, if I had my heading established before calling approach would have reduced the workload somewhat. Had I known the area north of lodi airport was in another controller's airspace, I would have chosen not to try to fly the 105 degree radial back to linden VOR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST RATED PVT PLT IN A C182 MISJUDGED THE HDG TO USE IN INTERCEPTING THE MISSED APCH VOR RADIAL RESULTING IN APCH CTLR INTERVENTION FOR VECTORS TO ON COURSE.

Narrative: ON IFR PRACTICE APCH TO LODI, CA, WITH NEEDLE CTRED ON 285 DEG RADIAL OF LINDEN VOR, I WAS ABOUT 2 MI S OF THE LODI ARPT AT EXPIRATION OF TIME FOR THE APCH. WHEN I LEFT APCH FREQ FOR LODI UNICOM, I TOLD CTLR I WOULD FLY THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH. CTLR ASKED THAT I RPT BACK WHILE N THE MISSED APCH. I MADE A CLBING L TURN AND KNOWING IT TOOK ME S OF THE ARPT AND S OF THE 105 DEG RADIAL BACK TO LINDEN, I FLEW 90 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 105 DEG RADIAL. I CONTACTED APCH AND WAS GIVEN A HDG TO FLY 120 DEGS TO MY NEXT APCH WHICH WAS TO BE AT STOCKTON. I WAS THEN QUESTIONED BY A SECOND CTLR AS TO MY INTENTIONS. I REPEATED THE HDG I WAS TURNING TO (120 DEGS). I WAS GIVEN NEXT 'FLY 130 DEGS.' THEN ASKED AGAIN WHAT MY INTENTIONS WERE BECAUSE I WAS SHOWING ON THEIR SCREEN TO BE N OF LODI ARPT. I WAS ESTABLISHED ON 130 DEG HDG WHEN I WAS QUERIED AGAIN WHY I FLEW N OF THE ARPT. I REPLIED I WAS FLYING 130 DEGS AND TRYING TO ASCERTAIN WHAT HAPPENED. I BELIEVE I FLEW N OF THE ARPT. I THINK THE DISTANCE (15 MI) FROM THE LINDEN VOR TO THE ARPT MADE THE OBS READING SOMEWHAT INACCURATE. I WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER BY COMPLETING MY CLBING TURN TO A 105 DEG HDG AND GONE DIRECTLY TO LINDEN VOR. ALSO, IF I HAD MY HDG ESTABLISHED BEFORE CALLING APCH WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE WORKLOAD SOMEWHAT. HAD I KNOWN THE AREA N OF LODI ARPT WAS IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE, I WOULD HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO TRY TO FLY THE 105 DEG RADIAL BACK TO LINDEN VOR.

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.