Narrative:

I was flying the VOR runway 21/GPS 'a' approach to smo. My turn onto the approach just outside bevey by ATC was short and high approximately 3500 ft MSL. I had advised approach that this would be a missed approach and they seemed puzzled but approved it. They advised me to fly the published missed but amend the altitude to 3000 ft. Upon contacting the tower at the fap, they too seemed puzzled that I was planning on the missed approach but accepted it. At approximately 800 ft MSL and over the runway threshold, I executed the missed approach and notified tower. I was switched to socal approach on a different frequency than the one I entered the approach (unusual I thought). During climb out, I attempted to acquire the smo 250 degree radial via my GPS and mfd. I also had the HSI tuned to the smo VOR. While the HSI showed me left off course, it appeared the GPS showed me on course. I failed to monitor the navigation #1 radio to visually check the 'from' reading. Had I done that, I would have realized that I was interpreting the GPS display incorrectly and was still flying outbound on the smo 210 degree radial. At approximately 2000 ft MSL socal approach vectored me to the hold and questioned my poor execution of the missed approach procedure. I explained to the controller my error. I may have entered la class B but unsure. Was not advised by ATC that I did. What I learned was I need to use all of my cockpit resources and not rely so much on the visual display of the GPS on my mfd. I also learned that I need to review the GPS missed approach transition (switching from approach to missed) information in the poh. This was my first true (in the clouds) IMC approach to an airport other than my training facilities since earning my instrument certificate. While I know ZZZ1 and ZZZ2 approachs very well, the test of a new airport approach in real IMC was very helpful and reassuring that I can make these types of approachs in real IMC safely. The time of day of my approach was intentionally early to ensure light traffic and real IMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 ON APCH TO SMO FAILS TO PROPERLY COMPLY WITH MISSED APCH PROC AND QUESTIONED BY ATC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE VOR RWY 21/GPS 'A' APCH TO SMO. MY TURN ONTO THE APCH JUST OUTSIDE BEVEY BY ATC WAS SHORT AND HIGH APPROX 3500 FT MSL. I HAD ADVISED APCH THAT THIS WOULD BE A MISSED APCH AND THEY SEEMED PUZZLED BUT APPROVED IT. THEY ADVISED ME TO FLY THE PUBLISHED MISSED BUT AMEND THE ALT TO 3000 FT. UPON CONTACTING THE TWR AT THE FAP, THEY TOO SEEMED PUZZLED THAT I WAS PLANNING ON THE MISSED APCH BUT ACCEPTED IT. AT APPROX 800 FT MSL AND OVER THE RWY THRESHOLD, I EXECUTED THE MISSED APCH AND NOTIFIED TWR. I WAS SWITCHED TO SOCAL APCH ON A DIFFERENT FREQ THAN THE ONE I ENTERED THE APCH (UNUSUAL I THOUGHT). DURING CLBOUT, I ATTEMPTED TO ACQUIRE THE SMO 250 DEG RADIAL VIA MY GPS AND MFD. I ALSO HAD THE HSI TUNED TO THE SMO VOR. WHILE THE HSI SHOWED ME L OFF COURSE, IT APPEARED THE GPS SHOWED ME ON COURSE. I FAILED TO MONITOR THE NAV #1 RADIO TO VISUALLY CHK THE 'FROM' READING. HAD I DONE THAT, I WOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT I WAS INTERPRETING THE GPS DISPLAY INCORRECTLY AND WAS STILL FLYING OUTBOUND ON THE SMO 210 DEG RADIAL. AT APPROX 2000 FT MSL SOCAL APCH VECTORED ME TO THE HOLD AND QUESTIONED MY POOR EXECUTION OF THE MISSED APCH PROC. I EXPLAINED TO THE CTLR MY ERROR. I MAY HAVE ENTERED LA CLASS B BUT UNSURE. WAS NOT ADVISED BY ATC THAT I DID. WHAT I LEARNED WAS I NEED TO USE ALL OF MY COCKPIT RESOURCES AND NOT RELY SO MUCH ON THE VISUAL DISPLAY OF THE GPS ON MY MFD. I ALSO LEARNED THAT I NEED TO REVIEW THE GPS MISSED APCH TRANSITION (SWITCHING FROM APCH TO MISSED) INFO IN THE POH. THIS WAS MY FIRST TRUE (IN THE CLOUDS) IMC APCH TO AN ARPT OTHER THAN MY TRAINING FACILITIES SINCE EARNING MY INST CERTIFICATE. WHILE I KNOW ZZZ1 AND ZZZ2 APCHS VERY WELL, THE TEST OF A NEW ARPT APCH IN REAL IMC WAS VERY HELPFUL AND REASSURING THAT I CAN MAKE THESE TYPES OF APCHS IN REAL IMC SAFELY. THE TIME OF DAY OF MY APCH WAS INTENTIONALLY EARLY TO ENSURE LIGHT TFC AND REAL IMC.

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.