Narrative:

While IFR to gle; decided to divert to sps due to bad WX at the destination when about 15 miles west of sps at 7000 ft. Approach was closed and center cleared me to 4000 ft and for the approach to sps. No vectors were available since approach was closed so a full approach of my choice was required. Then retrieved the menu of available apches in garmin 430 and select ILS runway 15C based on winds. Two approach modes were offered; vectors or to commence the approach at hipki intersection. Selected direct hipki option with the mental assumption that this was an IAF. Turned direct hipki and completed navigation radio setup for the approach and slowing the plane. Pulled approach plate and noticed 13 mile arc from shp with no course reversal at hipki. Select shp on garmin 430 to generate ranges. Just as completed; localizer came alive and turned inbound to intercept just outside of hipki descended to 2300 ft prior to jonka; the FAF. A complete review of the approach plate following landing showed that shp is a TACAN and the only IAF for this approach is comer; which can only be identified by TACAN. Causes in no particular order: 1) failure to brief diversions prior to takeoff resulting in hurried chart review while already flying the approach. 2) lack of identification that the TACAN is required equipment for the approach in either the title of the chart or a note in the plainview. 3) the differentiation of civil and military procedures by the rather small marking at the top center of the procedure chart; eg; (FAA) instead of (USAF). 4) inclusion of the military procedures in a civilian GPS database with no specific warning that this approach is only authorized for practice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RUSHED BY AN UNPLANNED DECISION TO DIVERT TO SPS; PLT OF C210 UTILIZES APCH TO RWY 15C; CONTAINED IN RPTR'S DATABASE; BUT FOR WHICH THE ACFT IS INAPPROPRIATELY EQUIPPED.

Narrative: WHILE IFR TO GLE; DECIDED TO DIVERT TO SPS DUE TO BAD WX AT THE DEST WHEN ABOUT 15 MILES W OF SPS AT 7000 FT. APCH WAS CLOSED AND CTR CLRED ME TO 4000 FT AND FOR THE APCH TO SPS. NO VECTORS WERE AVAILABLE SINCE APCH WAS CLOSED SO A FULL APCH OF MY CHOICE WAS REQUIRED. THEN RETRIEVED THE MENU OF AVAILABLE APCHES IN GARMIN 430 AND SELECT ILS RWY 15C BASED ON WINDS. TWO APCH MODES WERE OFFERED; VECTORS OR TO COMMENCE THE APCH AT HIPKI INTXN. SELECTED DIRECT HIPKI OPTION WITH THE MENTAL ASSUMPTION THAT THIS WAS AN IAF. TURNED DIRECT HIPKI AND COMPLETED NAVIGATION RADIO SETUP FOR THE APCH AND SLOWING THE PLANE. PULLED APCH PLATE AND NOTICED 13 MILE ARC FROM SHP WITH NO COURSE REVERSAL AT HIPKI. SELECT SHP ON GARMIN 430 TO GENERATE RANGES. JUST AS COMPLETED; LOCALIZER CAME ALIVE AND TURNED INBND TO INTERCEPT JUST OUTSIDE OF HIPKI DSNDED TO 2300 FT PRIOR TO JONKA; THE FAF. A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE APCH PLATE FOLLOWING LNDG SHOWED THAT SHP IS A TACAN AND THE ONLY IAF FOR THIS APCH IS COMER; WHICH CAN ONLY BE IDENTIFIED BY TACAN. CAUSES IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER: 1) FAILURE TO BRIEF DIVERSIONS PRIOR TO TKOF RESULTING IN HURRIED CHART REVIEW WHILE ALREADY FLYING THE APCH. 2) LACK OF IDENTIFICATION THAT THE TACAN IS REQUIRED EQUIP FOR THE APCH IN EITHER THE TITLE OF THE CHART OR A NOTE IN THE PLAINVIEW. 3) THE DIFFERENTIATION OF CIVIL AND MIL PROCS BY THE RATHER SMALL MARKING AT THE TOP CENTER OF THE PROC CHART; EG; (FAA) INSTEAD OF (USAF). 4) INCLUSION OF THE MIL PROCS IN A CIVILIAN GPS DATABASE WITH NO SPECIFIC WARNING THAT THIS APCH IS ONLY AUTHORIZED FOR PRACTICE.

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.