GA small aircraft track heading deviation on airway track to an out of service VOR.

Attributes
ACN	151833
Time
Date	199007
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tmu
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v16 enroute airway : v374
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 19000
ASRS Report	151833
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Last sat, departing from groton en route to suffolk county airport, we were cleared via V374 to join V16. Normally, I would have turned southwest on V16 to the calverton VOR. From there, there is a published transition to the ILS, but on this occasion, the calverton VOR was OTS. We could have assumed that ATC expected us to proceed toward the VOR but this was a training flight and I wanted to teach the pilot not to assume anything. I told him to ask ATC what we were to do upon joining V16. There was a delay in getting a reply and I instructed him to hold at the intersection of V16 and V374, on V374 until we could get a reply. A 180 degree turn to the right quickly got ATC's attention and we were instructed to continue southwest on V16 and to expect radar vectors. We were in VMC in a light single engine aircraft. Besides the immunity function of this report, we would like to have your opinion on the correctness of this action. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter gave his flight experience and type of aircraft involved and admitted he could have used a tail bearing but that he just got balky and was challenging ARTCC. He indicated that the slow response to his question triggered his action but he has had second thoughts. No FAA action has been taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA TRACK HEADING DEVIATION ON AIRWAY TRACK TO AN OUT OF SERVICE VOR.

Narrative: LAST SAT, DEPARTING FROM GROTON ENRTE TO SUFFOLK COUNTY ARPT, WE WERE CLRED VIA V374 TO JOIN V16. NORMALLY, I WOULD HAVE TURNED SW ON V16 TO THE CALVERTON VOR. FROM THERE, THERE IS A PUBLISHED TRANSITION TO THE ILS, BUT ON THIS OCCASION, THE CALVERTON VOR WAS OTS. WE COULD HAVE ASSUMED THAT ATC EXPECTED US TO PROCEED TOWARD THE VOR BUT THIS WAS A TRNING FLT AND I WANTED TO TEACH THE PLT NOT TO ASSUME ANYTHING. I TOLD HIM TO ASK ATC WHAT WE WERE TO DO UPON JOINING V16. THERE WAS A DELAY IN GETTING A REPLY AND I INSTRUCTED HIM TO HOLD AT THE INTXN OF V16 AND V374, ON V374 UNTIL WE COULD GET A REPLY. A 180 DEG TURN TO THE RIGHT QUICKLY GOT ATC'S ATTN AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTINUE SW ON V16 AND TO EXPECT RADAR VECTORS. WE WERE IN VMC IN A LIGHT SINGLE ENG ACFT. BESIDES THE IMMUNITY FUNCTION OF THIS RPT, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR OPINION ON THE CORRECTNESS OF THIS ACTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR GAVE HIS FLT EXPERIENCE AND TYPE OF ACFT INVOLVED AND ADMITTED HE COULD HAVE USED A TAIL BEARING BUT THAT HE JUST GOT BALKY AND WAS CHALLENGING ARTCC. HE INDICATED THAT THE SLOW RESPONSE TO HIS QUESTION TRIGGERED HIS ACTION BUT HE HAS HAD SECOND THOUGHTS. NO FAA ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN.

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.