Narrative:

I was practicing INS approachs first at lake jackson, then at houston southwest airport. In preparation for the NDB runway 27 approach at houston southwest, I was homing in on the beacon from the wsw. Upon crossing the field I began tracking the 070 degree bearing outbnd for the procedure turn. I was flying at 1500', lower than the approach called for, so that I would be at the floor of the hobby arsa in the event my procedure turn was delayed longer than planned. As it turned out, my procedure turn was delayed. There was a strong quartering tailwind and inordinate attention was given to maintaining the correct bearing track. This fixation on tracking was also a contributing factor in allowing my altitude to get up to 1700'. It was my safety pilot who finally called my attention to the altitude. I made an immediately descent and took off the hood to pick up a ground reference marker. I then completed the approach. Later, on the ground, I determined that I had encroached on the arsa by 2.5 to 3 NM. I guess what really caused the problem was an overestimation of my abilities. Although I normally have no trouble maintaining correct altitude during an approach, I did on this date. Turbulence was a factor, but is not an excuse. Another factor was the type of approach. Even though I'm technically competent in NDB approachs, I still feel less comfortable with NDB than I do other type approachs. All combined allowed for my fixation on the bearing at the expense of other parameters. To prevent this type occurrence in the future, I would fly the approach perhaps 300' lower to allow for some margin of error west/O it resulting in an encroachment or simply call up approach control, advise them of my intentions and ask permission to use their airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON SIMULATED APCH ENTERS FLOOR OF ARSA WITHOUT CONTACT.

Narrative: I WAS PRACTICING INS APCHS FIRST AT LAKE JACKSON, THEN AT HOUSTON SW ARPT. IN PREPARATION FOR THE NDB RWY 27 APCH AT HOUSTON SW, I WAS HOMING IN ON THE BEACON FROM THE WSW. UPON XING THE FIELD I BEGAN TRACKING THE 070 DEG BEARING OUTBND FOR THE PROC TURN. I WAS FLYING AT 1500', LOWER THAN THE APCH CALLED FOR, SO THAT I WOULD BE AT THE FLOOR OF THE HOBBY ARSA IN THE EVENT MY PROC TURN WAS DELAYED LONGER THAN PLANNED. AS IT TURNED OUT, MY PROC TURN WAS DELAYED. THERE WAS A STRONG QUARTERING TAILWIND AND INORDINATE ATTN WAS GIVEN TO MAINTAINING THE CORRECT BEARING TRACK. THIS FIXATION ON TRACKING WAS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN ALLOWING MY ALT TO GET UP TO 1700'. IT WAS MY SAFETY PLT WHO FINALLY CALLED MY ATTN TO THE ALT. I MADE AN IMMEDIATELY DSNT AND TOOK OFF THE HOOD TO PICK UP A GND REF MARKER. I THEN COMPLETED THE APCH. LATER, ON THE GND, I DETERMINED THAT I HAD ENCROACHED ON THE ARSA BY 2.5 TO 3 NM. I GUESS WHAT REALLY CAUSED THE PROB WAS AN OVERESTIMATION OF MY ABILITIES. ALTHOUGH I NORMALLY HAVE NO TROUBLE MAINTAINING CORRECT ALT DURING AN APCH, I DID ON THIS DATE. TURB WAS A FACTOR, BUT IS NOT AN EXCUSE. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE TYPE OF APCH. EVEN THOUGH I'M TECHNICALLY COMPETENT IN NDB APCHS, I STILL FEEL LESS COMFORTABLE WITH NDB THAN I DO OTHER TYPE APCHS. ALL COMBINED ALLOWED FOR MY FIXATION ON THE BEARING AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER PARAMETERS. TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OCCURRENCE IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD FLY THE APCH PERHAPS 300' LOWER TO ALLOW FOR SOME MARGIN OF ERROR W/O IT RESULTING IN AN ENCROACHMENT OR SIMPLY CALL UP APCH CTL, ADVISE THEM OF MY INTENTIONS AND ASK PERMISSION TO USE THEIR AIRSPACE.

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.