A PA28 pilot reported that he failed to load and activate a revised approach procedure in his GPS; r...

Attributes
ACN	666981
Time
Date	200507
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : okw.vortac
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl single value : 2250
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 265 flight time type : 145
ASRS Report	666981
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying from 1a9 to tcl; via okw. South of birmingham; I was cleared direct to tcl; bypassing okw. When a few miles southeast of okw VOR; the birmingham approach controller changed my clearance to the tcl VOR runway 22 approach via the okw transition. I had okw already in my GPS flight plan (garmin 430; IFR approach certified); so selected direct to okw from the flight plan page so I could get the heading quickly. I had the correct/current approach plate open and clipped to the yoke; but failed to activate the VOR runway 22 approach in the GPS. When the aircraft reached okw; the GPS transitioned to the next flight plan waypoint; tcl. I turned left direct to tcl; incorrectly following the GPS guidance rather than the okw R-300 per the IAP. This put me on a track approximately on the tcl R-092; and the okw R-272. Following the printed IAP; I descended to 2250 ft MSL (IAP requires at/above 2200 ft from okw to the IAF). Approximately 5 miles southwest of okw; the controller asked me to state my altitude and heading. I responded 2250 ft and 268 degrees. He pointed out I was deviating from the brookwood transition as cleared. I realized my error and turned north to intercept the okw R-300; reported my corrective action; and activated the approach in my GPS. I flew the rest of the IAP correctly and without incident; using VOR as primary navigation and GPS for situational awareness. Contributing factors: failure to load and activate the GPS approach; and reliance on incorrect GPS guidance instead of following the published IAP. Prevention: follow the published IAP first; and ensure GPS guidance follows it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FAILED TO LOAD AND ACTIVATE A REVISED APPROACH PROCEDURE IN HIS GPS; RESULTING IN A TRACK DEVIATION AND DESCENT BELOW THE PUBLISHED APPROACH SEGMENT ALTITUDE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM 1A9 TO TCL; VIA OKW. S OF BIRMINGHAM; I WAS CLRED DIRECT TO TCL; BYPASSING OKW. WHEN A FEW MILES SE OF OKW VOR; THE BIRMINGHAM APCH CTLR CHANGED MY CLRNC TO THE TCL VOR RWY 22 APCH VIA THE OKW TRANSITION. I HAD OKW ALREADY IN MY GPS FLT PLAN (GARMIN 430; IFR APCH CERTIFIED); SO SELECTED DIRECT TO OKW FROM THE FLT PLAN PAGE SO I COULD GET THE HDG QUICKLY. I HAD THE CORRECT/CURRENT APCH PLATE OPEN AND CLIPPED TO THE YOKE; BUT FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE VOR RWY 22 APCH IN THE GPS. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED OKW; THE GPS TRANSITIONED TO THE NEXT FLT PLAN WAYPOINT; TCL. I TURNED L DIRECT TO TCL; INCORRECTLY FOLLOWING THE GPS GUIDANCE RATHER THAN THE OKW R-300 PER THE IAP. THIS PUT ME ON A TRACK APPROX ON THE TCL R-092; AND THE OKW R-272. FOLLOWING THE PRINTED IAP; I DSNDED TO 2250 FT MSL (IAP REQUIRES AT/ABOVE 2200 FT FROM OKW TO THE IAF). APPROX 5 MILES SW OF OKW; THE CTLR ASKED ME TO STATE MY ALT AND HDG. I RESPONDED 2250 FT AND 268 DEGS. HE POINTED OUT I WAS DEVIATING FROM THE BROOKWOOD TRANSITION AS CLRED. I REALIZED MY ERROR AND TURNED N TO INTERCEPT THE OKW R-300; RPTED MY CORRECTIVE ACTION; AND ACTIVATED THE APCH IN MY GPS. I FLEW THE REST OF THE IAP CORRECTLY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT; USING VOR AS PRIMARY NAVIGATION AND GPS FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FAILURE TO LOAD AND ACTIVATE THE GPS APCH; AND RELIANCE ON INCORRECT GPS GUIDANCE INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE PUBLISHED IAP. PREVENTION: FOLLOW THE PUBLISHED IAP FIRST; AND ENSURE GPS GUIDANCE FOLLOWS IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A PA28 pilot reported that he failed to load and activate a revised approach procedure in his GPS; resulting in a track deviation and descent below the published approach segment altitude.