Narrative:

Phoenix approach has a reputation as uncooperative with smaller aircraft; so I programmed in squaw peak; the start of the transition through the class B airspace; into the GPS so that I could give my initial position relative to squaw peak and convey that I had my act together. (I have an older data card which does not have the visual points.) as we got closer to the GPS waypoint; things didn't look right. The PF; a very competent (as I observed on our last flight together) but not legally current pilot; completed the leveloff at 5000 ft that ATC instructed. After a few moments with the terminal area chart; it became apparent that there was a gross GPS programming error; and we resumed visual navigation. However; my very competent friend had us at 4500 ft and descending; not flying the airplane per his reputation. We promptly took appropriate remedial action; and crossing phx was uneventful. I discovered the problem later. Squaw peak is xx mi from pxr on the 330 degree radial; but on the terminal area chart; only one '3' in '33' on the VOR compass rose is printed -- the other is obscured by other symbology. What I interpreted as '030' was in fact '330.' thus the GPS was programmed with a 60 bearing error. I made the mistake; but I had a whole lot of help from NOAA in making it. Also; the arrival procedures for the cgz specify a pit mine 3.6 mi west of the airport; and that very distinctive pit mine is not on the terminal area chart. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter reiterated his belief that the VFR terminal chart should be more clear and that the open pit mine 3.6 mi west of cgz should be on the map.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPTS PROBS WITH PHX VFR TERMINAL CHART.

Narrative: PHOENIX APCH HAS A REPUTATION AS UNCOOPERATIVE WITH SMALLER ACFT; SO I PROGRAMMED IN SQUAW PEAK; THE START OF THE TRANSITION THROUGH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; INTO THE GPS SO THAT I COULD GIVE MY INITIAL POS RELATIVE TO SQUAW PEAK AND CONVEY THAT I HAD MY ACT TOGETHER. (I HAVE AN OLDER DATA CARD WHICH DOES NOT HAVE THE VISUAL POINTS.) AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE GPS WAYPOINT; THINGS DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT. THE PF; A VERY COMPETENT (AS I OBSERVED ON OUR LAST FLT TOGETHER) BUT NOT LEGALLY CURRENT PLT; COMPLETED THE LEVELOFF AT 5000 FT THAT ATC INSTRUCTED. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS WITH THE TERMINAL AREA CHART; IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THERE WAS A GROSS GPS PROGRAMMING ERROR; AND WE RESUMED VISUAL NAV. HOWEVER; MY VERY COMPETENT FRIEND HAD US AT 4500 FT AND DSNDING; NOT FLYING THE AIRPLANE PER HIS REPUTATION. WE PROMPTLY TOOK APPROPRIATE REMEDIAL ACTION; AND XING PHX WAS UNEVENTFUL. I DISCOVERED THE PROB LATER. SQUAW PEAK IS XX MI FROM PXR ON THE 330 DEG RADIAL; BUT ON THE TERMINAL AREA CHART; ONLY ONE '3' IN '33' ON THE VOR COMPASS ROSE IS PRINTED -- THE OTHER IS OBSCURED BY OTHER SYMBOLOGY. WHAT I INTERPED AS '030' WAS IN FACT '330.' THUS THE GPS WAS PROGRAMMED WITH A 60 BEARING ERROR. I MADE THE MISTAKE; BUT I HAD A WHOLE LOT OF HELP FROM NOAA IN MAKING IT. ALSO; THE ARR PROCS FOR THE CGZ SPECIFY A PIT MINE 3.6 MI W OF THE ARPT; AND THAT VERY DISTINCTIVE PIT MINE IS NOT ON THE TERMINAL AREA CHART. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR REITERATED HIS BELIEF THAT THE VFR TERMINAL CHART SHOULD BE MORE CLR AND THAT THE OPEN PIT MINE 3.6 MI W OF CGZ SHOULD BE ON THE MAP.

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.