A C172 student, flying with his CFI, flew the wrong approach to pou.

Attributes
ACN	600313
Time
Date	200311
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pou.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
ASRS Report	600313
Person 2
Function	instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This happened over 6 months ago, but I just now realized what did happen. I was doing IFR currency practice and was receiving vectors for the VOR approach to pou. I turned inbound to course 217 degrees (R037) as published. After a brief, but confusing conversation with the controller, he told me I'd botched the approach and he was going to vector me around for another try. Okay (shrug). After being chewed out again on the second approach, my instructor and I realized the controller was trying to get us inbound on R062 (course 242), lined up with final approach runway 24. Okay, fine, whatever. Reviewing pou plates for tonight's flight, I realized there's a VOR-a and VOR-DME/GPS runway 24. We were likely on a different page. Just one of those things. I've no idea how to systematically prevent except to redouble efforts to be alert.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 STUDENT, FLYING WITH HIS CFI, FLEW THE WRONG APCH TO POU.

Narrative: THIS HAPPENED OVER 6 MONTHS AGO, BUT I JUST NOW REALIZED WHAT DID HAPPEN. I WAS DOING IFR CURRENCY PRACTICE AND WAS RECEIVING VECTORS FOR THE VOR APCH TO POU. I TURNED INBOUND TO COURSE 217 DEGS (R037) AS PUBLISHED. AFTER A BRIEF, BUT CONFUSING CONVERSATION WITH THE CTLR, HE TOLD ME I'D BOTCHED THE APCH AND HE WAS GOING TO VECTOR ME AROUND FOR ANOTHER TRY. OKAY (SHRUG). AFTER BEING CHEWED OUT AGAIN ON THE SECOND APCH, MY INSTRUCTOR AND I REALIZED THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO GET US INBOUND ON R062 (COURSE 242), LINED UP WITH FINAL APCH RWY 24. OKAY, FINE, WHATEVER. REVIEWING POU PLATES FOR TONIGHT'S FLT, I REALIZED THERE'S A VOR-A AND VOR-DME/GPS RWY 24. WE WERE LIKELY ON A DIFFERENT PAGE. JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. I'VE NO IDEA HOW TO SYSTEMATICALLY PREVENT EXCEPT TO REDOUBLE EFFORTS TO BE ALERT.

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.