Narrative:

I had filed an IFR flight plan from sgr to erv using the industry 2 departure to idu then V68 to marcs intersection; direct to erv. I had just received the garmin 396 and had programmed the correct waypoints before leaving my home for the airport. Prior to launching; I set up the garmin 530; garmin 430; for the idu departure; which also includes the centex VOR after departing idu. All went well until reaching idu; at which time I flew the headings shown on the garmin 530/430; and was completely distraction by the garmin 396; which was showing me right of V68 to marcs intersection. I continued to fly using the garmin 530/430 as my primary source of navigation which was directing me to the centex VOR (cwk) (which should not have been a part of this flight plan at all) and was distraction with the conflicting information showing me right of course on the garmin 396. When I realized that I had not programmed the marcs intersection into the garmin 530 or 430 and was not using either instrument in the v-loc mode 'from idu;' I immediately set up the 530 accordingly and corrected my heading to intercept V68 (259 degree radial from idu). ZHU asked if I was making the correction to intercept V68; and I confirmed. He then commented that when he saw me off course and making turns; and because he wasn't sure what I was doing; he had instructed a jet to level off at 13000 ft till he could determine where I was going. The new garmin 396 caused more of a distraction than anything. Although it did have the correct routing programmed; I was using the garmin 530/430 as primary navigation; which I had neglected to review for correct information and set up after the flight began. After taking the garmin 396 out of the loop; and getting back to business using the garmins 530/430; the flight went as planned and without further distraction. I feel that as I become more familiar with the garmin 396 it will become an asset and not a distraction. This learning curve should occur either in the 'simulator mode' outside the airplane; or when another pilot can be PIC.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT OF SMA HAS IFR TRACK DEV WHEN CONFUSED BY CONFLICTING INFO ON INDEPENDENT GPS UNITS.

Narrative: I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SGR TO ERV USING THE INDUSTRY 2 DEP TO IDU THEN V68 TO MARCS INTXN; DIRECT TO ERV. I HAD JUST RECEIVED THE GARMIN 396 AND HAD PROGRAMMED THE CORRECT WAYPOINTS BEFORE LEAVING MY HOME FOR THE ARPT. PRIOR TO LAUNCHING; I SET UP THE GARMIN 530; GARMIN 430; FOR THE IDU DEP; WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE CENTEX VOR AFTER DEPARTING IDU. ALL WENT WELL UNTIL REACHING IDU; AT WHICH TIME I FLEW THE HDGS SHOWN ON THE GARMIN 530/430; AND WAS COMPLETELY DISTR BY THE GARMIN 396; WHICH WAS SHOWING ME R OF V68 TO MARCS INTXN. I CONTINUED TO FLY USING THE GARMIN 530/430 AS MY PRIMARY SOURCE OF NAV WHICH WAS DIRECTING ME TO THE CENTEX VOR (CWK) (WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS FLT PLAN AT ALL) AND WAS DISTR WITH THE CONFLICTING INFO SHOWING ME R OF COURSE ON THE GARMIN 396. WHEN I REALIZED THAT I HAD NOT PROGRAMMED THE MARCS INTXN INTO THE GARMIN 530 OR 430 AND WAS NOT USING EITHER INSTRUMENT IN THE V-LOC MODE 'FROM IDU;' I IMMEDIATELY SET UP THE 530 ACCORDINGLY AND CORRECTED MY HDG TO INTERCEPT V68 (259 DEG RADIAL FROM IDU). ZHU ASKED IF I WAS MAKING THE CORRECTION TO INTERCEPT V68; AND I CONFIRMED. HE THEN COMMENTED THAT WHEN HE SAW ME OFF COURSE AND MAKING TURNS; AND BECAUSE HE WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS DOING; HE HAD INSTRUCTED A JET TO LEVEL OFF AT 13000 FT TILL HE COULD DETERMINE WHERE I WAS GOING. THE NEW GARMIN 396 CAUSED MORE OF A DISTR THAN ANYTHING. ALTHOUGH IT DID HAVE THE CORRECT ROUTING PROGRAMMED; I WAS USING THE GARMIN 530/430 AS PRIMARY NAV; WHICH I HAD NEGLECTED TO REVIEW FOR CORRECT INFO AND SET UP AFTER THE FLT BEGAN. AFTER TAKING THE GARMIN 396 OUT OF THE LOOP; AND GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS USING THE GARMINS 530/430; THE FLT WENT AS PLANNED AND WITHOUT FURTHER DISTR. I FEEL THAT AS I BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE GARMIN 396 IT WILL BECOME AN ASSET AND NOT A DISTR. THIS LEARNING CURVE SHOULD OCCUR EITHER IN THE 'SIMULATOR MODE' OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE; OR WHEN ANOTHER PLT CAN BE PIC.

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.