GA pilot deviates off course during GPS approach and is vectored back by controller.

Attributes
ACN	521460
Time
Date	200108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hou.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	521460
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching richmond, given ILS runway 34, radio traffic was light, practice approachs were being approved. WX was no ceiling, 3 mi visibility in haze, so I asked for GPS runway 34 with junki intersection as IAF, for practice and proficiency purposes. Always seem to get ILS when traveling, so thought slow time would be good time for practice. Aircraft was on autoplt, which was doing a bad job in the localizer mode. I was experimenting with getting on course using heading mode, then switching back to localizer mode seemed to work better. Upon passing fix just before FAF, I started down from 2000 ft to 1600 ft, was watching to make sure GPS went into flashing mode, but failed to make the left turn to final approach course. About the time I realized I was off course, richmond approach called and said get back to 2000 ft since I was not established on final. As I was starting a turn, they called back for 'immediate' turn to 300 degrees, which I did. Reestablished on course and proceeded to land. Tower called, I phoned in. They had another plane on downwind for ILS and my path before the turn, would interfere with this plane. Later she called and said was not a problem. My errors were, complacency and distraction with autoplt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT DEVIATES OFF COURSE DURING GPS APCH AND IS VECTORED BACK BY CTLR.

Narrative: APCHING RICHMOND, GIVEN ILS RWY 34, RADIO TFC WAS LIGHT, PRACTICE APCHS WERE BEING APPROVED. WX WAS NO CEILING, 3 MI VISIBILITY IN HAZE, SO I ASKED FOR GPS RWY 34 WITH JUNKI INTXN AS IAF, FOR PRACTICE AND PROFICIENCY PURPOSES. ALWAYS SEEM TO GET ILS WHEN TRAVELING, SO THOUGHT SLOW TIME WOULD BE GOOD TIME FOR PRACTICE. ACFT WAS ON AUTOPLT, WHICH WAS DOING A BAD JOB IN THE LOC MODE. I WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH GETTING ON COURSE USING HEADING MODE, THEN SWITCHING BACK TO LOC MODE SEEMED TO WORK BETTER. UPON PASSING FIX JUST BEFORE FAF, I STARTED DOWN FROM 2000 FT TO 1600 FT, WAS WATCHING TO MAKE SURE GPS WENT INTO FLASHING MODE, BUT FAILED TO MAKE THE L TURN TO FINAL APCH COURSE. ABOUT THE TIME I REALIZED I WAS OFF COURSE, RICHMOND APCH CALLED AND SAID GET BACK TO 2000 FT SINCE I WAS NOT ESTABLISHED ON FINAL. AS I WAS STARTING A TURN, THEY CALLED BACK FOR 'IMMEDIATE' TURN TO 300 DEGS, WHICH I DID. REESTABLISHED ON COURSE AND PROCEEDED TO LAND. TWR CALLED, I PHONED IN. THEY HAD ANOTHER PLANE ON DOWNWIND FOR ILS AND MY PATH BEFORE THE TURN, WOULD INTERFERE WITH THIS PLANE. LATER SHE CALLED AND SAID WAS NOT A PROB. MY ERRORS WERE, COMPLACENCY AND DISTR WITH AUTOPLT.

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.