Pilot made incorrect turn to initiate the VOR a approach to ful due to misinterpretation of the GPS ...

Attributes
ACN	1028956
Time
Date	201208
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	FUL.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft High Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	GPS & Other Satellite Navigation
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25 Flight Crew Total 10000 Flight Crew Type 3330
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Narrative:

While conducting a practice VOR a approach to ful in VFR conditions with a safety pilot onboard I was executing the published procedure turn and made a left turn inbound instead of a right turn as published on the approach plate. I had set the approach into the GPS to use for situational awareness only and was using the sli VOR for navigation since this was a VOR a approach (not a GPS approach). The [GPS] displayed the procedure turn; but since the aircraft was past the point where the initial turn outbound was drawn on the display; it appeared that a left turn was needed to follow the graphic displayed on the GPS screen. I blindly followed the graphic display instead of confirming on the approach plate the correct direction to turn inbound. Sct approach immediately queried us on which direction we were turning inbound and pointed out that the procedure turn should be a right turn; not a left turn. This is a good lesson in not blindly using technology and to always cross check to confirm you are flying what is published on the approach plate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Pilot made incorrect turn to initiate the VOR A approach to FUL due to misinterpretation of the GPS graphic display.

Narrative: While conducting a practice VOR A approach to FUL in VFR conditions with a safety pilot onboard I was executing the published procedure turn and made a left turn inbound instead of a right turn as published on the approach plate. I had set the approach into the GPS to use for situational awareness only and was using the SLI VOR for navigation since this was a VOR A approach (not a GPS approach). The [GPS] displayed the procedure turn; but since the aircraft was past the point where the initial turn outbound was drawn on the display; it appeared that a left turn was needed to follow the graphic displayed on the GPS screen. I blindly followed the graphic display instead of confirming on the approach plate the correct direction to turn inbound. SCT Approach immediately queried us on which direction we were turning inbound and pointed out that the procedure turn should be a right turn; not a left turn. This is a good lesson in not blindly using technology and to always cross check to confirm you are flying what is published on the approach plate.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Pilot made incorrect turn to initiate the VOR a approach to ful due to misinterpretation of the GPS graphic display.