Small aircraft got off course during NDB approach and was flying toward mountains.

Attributes
ACN	101374
Time
Date	198901
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hmt
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : riv
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	101374
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : military
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Ontario approach controller told us 'cleared for the approach' over pdz VOR. Later he told us to contact march gca controller, which we did. (Approach was hemet ryan NDB-a). March gca controller told us to notify him when we were inbound on the approach. Current position was 10-15 mi from the IAF, so I responded 'wilco.' 5 mins later march gca controller said, 'confirm you are inbound on the approach.' we were inbound to the IAF, so I responded, 'affirmative.' some time later the march controller said, 'continue you are inbound to hemet.' I said, 'affirmative,' then he said we were east of course, approaching mountains! After a climb and turn, he gave us vectors to the airport, where we landed west/O incident. Apparently he knew we were off course all 3 times he said 'confirm you are inbound.' he should have said something more definite like, 'you appear to be east of course,' or 'you are 10 mi east of seter intersection' that would have idented and corrected the situation earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA GOT OFF COURSE DURING NDB APCH AND WAS FLYING TOWARD MOUNTAINS.

Narrative: ONTARIO APCH CTLR TOLD US 'CLRED FOR THE APCH' OVER PDZ VOR. LATER HE TOLD US TO CONTACT MARCH GCA CTLR, WHICH WE DID. (APCH WAS HEMET RYAN NDB-A). MARCH GCA CTLR TOLD US TO NOTIFY HIM WHEN WE WERE INBND ON THE APCH. CURRENT POS WAS 10-15 MI FROM THE IAF, SO I RESPONDED 'WILCO.' 5 MINS LATER MARCH GCA CTLR SAID, 'CONFIRM YOU ARE INBND ON THE APCH.' WE WERE INBND TO THE IAF, SO I RESPONDED, 'AFFIRMATIVE.' SOME TIME LATER THE MARCH CTLR SAID, 'CONTINUE YOU ARE INBND TO HEMET.' I SAID, 'AFFIRMATIVE,' THEN HE SAID WE WERE E OF COURSE, APCHING MOUNTAINS! AFTER A CLB AND TURN, HE GAVE US VECTORS TO THE ARPT, WHERE WE LANDED W/O INCIDENT. APPARENTLY HE KNEW WE WERE OFF COURSE ALL 3 TIMES HE SAID 'CONFIRM YOU ARE INBND.' HE SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING MORE DEFINITE LIKE, 'YOU APPEAR TO BE E OF COURSE,' OR 'YOU ARE 10 MI E OF SETER INTXN' THAT WOULD HAVE IDENTED AND CORRECTED THE SITUATION EARLIER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.