Narrative:

I was flight instructing an instrument student on the x-country section of his training. We were on an instrument x-country from denver (apa) to akron washington county airport (ako) via kiowa VOR (ioc) and thurman VOR (txc). On crossing ioc, I instructed the student to tune the #1 navigation radio to txc VOR, identify and center the CDI with the obs, and center the #2 radio on the outbnd radial from ioc VOR. Both radios showed centered CDI's on the proper bearings. As we neared txc VOR, the #1 radio indicated a drift to the north, however, the #2 radio remained centered on ioc. When the #1 radio was centered on ioc it indicated the proper bearing from ioc. At the changeover point, both CDI's when tuned to txc indicated we were north of course so I instructed the student to turn right to intercept the centerline, since I felt we were closer to txc and getting better reception from txc. When both CDI's centered on 060 to txc we assumed we had gotten bad veerings from ioc. However, center called and said we were 7 mi south of the airway centerline. After receiving vectors to the centerline both CDI's read 050 to 010 degree off. When other aircraft were contacted they got true readings from txc, so I believe the aircraft's equipment may have been at fault. My main concern is with my reluctance to talk to center and ask them how I looked when I first started getting different readings from the 2 vors. The main reason for this, is zero tolerance. The general opinion of everyone I fly with, and myself included is if you find yourself in trouble, work it out for yourself, 'cause the FAA may help, but they will initiate a certificate action as a result. If this is not the case, then the FAA should get the word out. If it is the case, it should be changed. Pilots should not feel that they risk losing their license when they ask for help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA WAS 7 MILES OFF COURSE AND ADVISED BY ATC. PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT FAA ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY.

Narrative: I WAS FLT INSTRUCTING AN INSTRUMENT STUDENT ON THE X-COUNTRY SECTION OF HIS TRAINING. WE WERE ON AN INSTRUMENT X-COUNTRY FROM DENVER (APA) TO AKRON WASHINGTON COUNTY ARPT (AKO) VIA KIOWA VOR (IOC) AND THURMAN VOR (TXC). ON XING IOC, I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO TUNE THE #1 NAV RADIO TO TXC VOR, IDENT AND CENTER THE CDI WITH THE OBS, AND CENTER THE #2 RADIO ON THE OUTBND RADIAL FROM IOC VOR. BOTH RADIOS SHOWED CENTERED CDI'S ON THE PROPER BEARINGS. AS WE NEARED TXC VOR, THE #1 RADIO INDICATED A DRIFT TO THE N, HOWEVER, THE #2 RADIO REMAINED CENTERED ON IOC. WHEN THE #1 RADIO WAS CENTERED ON IOC IT INDICATED THE PROPER BEARING FROM IOC. AT THE CHANGEOVER POINT, BOTH CDI'S WHEN TUNED TO TXC INDICATED WE WERE N OF COURSE SO I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO TURN RIGHT TO INTERCEPT THE CENTERLINE, SINCE I FELT WE WERE CLOSER TO TXC AND GETTING BETTER RECEPTION FROM TXC. WHEN BOTH CDI'S CENTERED ON 060 TO TXC WE ASSUMED WE HAD GOTTEN BAD VEERINGS FROM IOC. HOWEVER, CENTER CALLED AND SAID WE WERE 7 MI S OF THE AIRWAY CENTERLINE. AFTER RECEIVING VECTORS TO THE CENTERLINE BOTH CDI'S READ 050 TO 010 DEG OFF. WHEN OTHER ACFT WERE CONTACTED THEY GOT TRUE READINGS FROM TXC, SO I BELIEVE THE ACFT'S EQUIPMENT MAY HAVE BEEN AT FAULT. MY MAIN CONCERN IS WITH MY RELUCTANCE TO TALK TO CENTER AND ASK THEM HOW I LOOKED WHEN I FIRST STARTED GETTING DIFFERENT READINGS FROM THE 2 VORS. THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS, IS ZERO TOLERANCE. THE GENERAL OPINION OF EVERYONE I FLY WITH, AND MYSELF INCLUDED IS IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN TROUBLE, WORK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF, 'CAUSE THE FAA MAY HELP, BUT THEY WILL INITIATE A CERTIFICATE ACTION AS A RESULT. IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE, THEN THE FAA SHOULD GET THE WORD OUT. IF IT IS THE CASE, IT SHOULD BE CHANGED. PLTS SHOULD NOT FEEL THAT THEY RISK LOSING THEIR LICENSE WHEN THEY ASK FOR HELP.

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