Narrative:

I filed IFR to vgt and got a WX briefing for the flight. It looked like the approach would be in VFR conditions. When I was 50 mi or more southwest of las vegas, the first ATIS I got was VFR at vgt, but the next ATIS I got a short time later showed both vgt and las to be IFR. The controller asked if I had GPS capability for the approach at vgt and I had to say 'no, the GPS in this airplane isn't certified IFR,' and requested the ILS at las. Upon walking into the FBO, I was handed a phone number and requested to call the supervisor at TRACON. He very forcefully re-educated me on the procedures of IFR planning and filing and the equipment required and how my ILS interruption into the traffic flow into las caused many delays. Then he handed me off to the traffic manager who reinforced my re-education, and emphasized how busy las airport is, and how I fouled things up for them by not being able to do the GPS approach at vgt airport. I have flown to las vegas for many yrs, into all the airports except nellis AFB, and never had to make a full instrument approach. I should have checked ahead and prepared for the worst. I thought there was a VOR approach at vgt. I should have checked to see what approachs were available. I should have checked the airplane for equipment on board and the status of that equipment, functional? Accurate? Certified?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE36 PLT ENCOUNTERS UNEXPECTED IFR, IS UNABLE TO ACCEPT A GPS APCH INTO VGT AND CONDUCTS AN ILS APCH INTO LAS.

Narrative: I FILED IFR TO VGT AND GOT A WX BRIEFING FOR THE FLT. IT LOOKED LIKE THE APCH WOULD BE IN VFR CONDITIONS. WHEN I WAS 50 MI OR MORE SW OF LAS VEGAS, THE FIRST ATIS I GOT WAS VFR AT VGT, BUT THE NEXT ATIS I GOT A SHORT TIME LATER SHOWED BOTH VGT AND LAS TO BE IFR. THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD GPS CAPABILITY FOR THE APCH AT VGT AND I HAD TO SAY 'NO, THE GPS IN THIS AIRPLANE ISN'T CERTIFIED IFR,' AND REQUESTED THE ILS AT LAS. UPON WALKING INTO THE FBO, I WAS HANDED A PHONE NUMBER AND REQUESTED TO CALL THE SUPVR AT TRACON. HE VERY FORCEFULLY RE-EDUCATED ME ON THE PROCS OF IFR PLANNING AND FILING AND THE EQUIP REQUIRED AND HOW MY ILS INTERRUPTION INTO THE TFC FLOW INTO LAS CAUSED MANY DELAYS. THEN HE HANDED ME OFF TO THE TFC MGR WHO REINFORCED MY RE-EDUCATION, AND EMPHASIZED HOW BUSY LAS ARPT IS, AND HOW I FOULED THINGS UP FOR THEM BY NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THE GPS APCH AT VGT ARPT. I HAVE FLOWN TO LAS VEGAS FOR MANY YRS, INTO ALL THE ARPTS EXCEPT NELLIS AFB, AND NEVER HAD TO MAKE A FULL INST APCH. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED AHEAD AND PREPARED FOR THE WORST. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A VOR APCH AT VGT. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED TO SEE WHAT APCHS WERE AVAILABLE. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE AIRPLANE FOR EQUIP ON BOARD AND THE STATUS OF THAT EQUIP, FUNCTIONAL? ACCURATE? CERTIFIED?

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.