Narrative:

I was frustrated (and controllers as well) with my inability to locate the tfd fix on my low altitude en route chart. The chart, issued feb 2002, is confusing and caused me to misset frequency and routing. ATC was not happy with what must have appeared at first to them to be a blatant disregard of their instructions and ultimately I felt incompetent when I finally located the appropriate fix. On more than one occasion, ATC revectored me after attempting to turn on what I thought was the correct course. When I finally discovered my error, I simply could not locate the NAVAID on the chart. I filed to pxr but was cleared to stanfield to join V-94. I was given vectors to the fix, but due to the confusing chart, I could not find 'stanfeld', causing me to ask 'stupid' questions of very busy controllers. Because the phoenix VOR 'label' is actually overlaying the tfd VOR, in the busy cockpit, I mistook it for pxr. The tfd 'label' is located well away from it's VOR symbol so I simply didn't notice it. As I've never been in the phoenix area before, I was totally unfamiliar with these local landmarks. This chart should be redesigned to reduce or eliminate the possibility of confusion. In the future, I will be more careful when I don't completely understand a clearance to sort out the issue on the ground. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that he should have taken greater care in becoming fam with the L3, IFR en route low altitude chart during preflight planning. Now that he is aware of the potential of this type symbology placement, he advised he is much more cautious of route planning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FRUSTRATED C177 PLT EVENTUALLY FINDS P50 AMENDED DEP RTEING VIA TFD VORTAC, CAUSED BY NAVAID ID PLACEMENT OF PXR VORTAC.

Narrative: I WAS FRUSTRATED (AND CTLRS AS WELL) WITH MY INABILITY TO LOCATE THE TFD FIX ON MY LOW ALTITUDE ENRTE CHART. THE CHART, ISSUED FEB 2002, IS CONFUSING AND CAUSED ME TO MISSET FREQ AND ROUTING. ATC WAS NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT MUST HAVE APPEARED AT FIRST TO THEM TO BE A BLATANT DISREGARD OF THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND ULTIMATELY I FELT INCOMPETENT WHEN I FINALLY LOCATED THE APPROPRIATE FIX. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, ATC REVECTORED ME AFTER ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE CORRECT COURSE. WHEN I FINALLY DISCOVERED MY ERROR, I SIMPLY COULD NOT LOCATE THE NAVAID ON THE CHART. I FILED TO PXR BUT WAS CLRED TO STANFIELD TO JOIN V-94. I WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE FIX, BUT DUE TO THE CONFUSING CHART, I COULD NOT FIND 'STANFELD', CAUSING ME TO ASK 'STUPID' QUESTIONS OF VERY BUSY CTLRS. BECAUSE THE PHOENIX VOR 'LABEL' IS ACTUALLY OVERLAYING THE TFD VOR, IN THE BUSY COCKPIT, I MISTOOK IT FOR PXR. THE TFD 'LABEL' IS LOCATED WELL AWAY FROM IT'S VOR SYMBOL SO I SIMPLY DIDN'T NOTICE IT. AS I'VE NEVER BEEN IN THE PHOENIX AREA BEFORE, I WAS TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH THESE LOCAL LANDMARKS. THIS CHART SHOULD BE REDESIGNED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF CONFUSION. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MORE CAREFUL WHEN I DON'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND A CLRNC TO SORT OUT THE ISSUE ON THE GND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN GREATER CARE IN BECOMING FAM WITH THE L3, IFR ENRTE LOW ALT CHART DURING PREFLT PLANNING. NOW THAT HE IS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL OF THIS TYPE SYMBOLOGY PLACEMENT, HE ADVISED HE IS MUCH MORE CAUTIOUS OF RTE PLANNING.

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.