Narrative:

After a routine IFR flight, I was issued the localizer approach into hawthorne 25. I requested the VOR runway 25 and received that. I was asked if I could identify demon, which is not on the VOR approach, but on the localizer approach. I confirmed that I could not. After beginning the approach, I was handed off to tower and cleared to land. Approximately 1 min later, tower asked if I was flying the localizer approach. I replied neg. Tower stated I was 1 mi north of course. My VOR indicated directly on course, and I told tower this. Later, tower asked my intentions. I stated that I wanted to land, could I get a vector to the airport. He issued one, almost what I was flying. Again tower said I was not on the approach course, did I want to cancel IFR. At MDA and 2 mi visibility I did not want to cancel IFR, and asked for one more vector. It was given, and 5 seconds later I saw the runway, right on course. On ground control, I was asked if my flight was a training flight, and I was told that I was off course about a mi along the en route portion of my trip. I had never been told this en route. My questions: why was I asked to cancel IFR on a crucial portion of my approach? If my equipment had malfunctioned, why hadn't ATC given some indication of this prior to my approach? Why was I asked to identify an intersection not located on the approach plate of the approach I was flying? The safety of my flight was jeopardized because ATC wanted me out of the way for faster traffic behind me. Maybe they could have been more helpful and gotten me on the ground faster.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA GETS OFF COURSE DURING VOR APCH TO HHR.

Narrative: AFTER A ROUTINE IFR FLT, I WAS ISSUED THE LOC APCH INTO HAWTHORNE 25. I REQUESTED THE VOR RWY 25 AND RECEIVED THAT. I WAS ASKED IF I COULD IDENT DEMON, WHICH IS NOT ON THE VOR APCH, BUT ON THE LOC APCH. I CONFIRMED THAT I COULD NOT. AFTER BEGINNING THE APCH, I WAS HANDED OFF TO TWR AND CLRED TO LAND. APPROX 1 MIN LATER, TWR ASKED IF I WAS FLYING THE LOC APCH. I REPLIED NEG. TWR STATED I WAS 1 MI N OF COURSE. MY VOR INDICATED DIRECTLY ON COURSE, AND I TOLD TWR THIS. LATER, TWR ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I STATED THAT I WANTED TO LAND, COULD I GET A VECTOR TO THE ARPT. HE ISSUED ONE, ALMOST WHAT I WAS FLYING. AGAIN TWR SAID I WAS NOT ON THE APCH COURSE, DID I WANT TO CANCEL IFR. AT MDA AND 2 MI VISIBILITY I DID NOT WANT TO CANCEL IFR, AND ASKED FOR ONE MORE VECTOR. IT WAS GIVEN, AND 5 SECS LATER I SAW THE RWY, R ON COURSE. ON GND CTL, I WAS ASKED IF MY FLT WAS A TRNING FLT, AND I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS OFF COURSE ABOUT A MI ALONG THE ENRTE PORTION OF MY TRIP. I HAD NEVER BEEN TOLD THIS ENRTE. MY QUESTIONS: WHY WAS I ASKED TO CANCEL IFR ON A CRUCIAL PORTION OF MY APCH? IF MY EQUIP HAD MALFUNCTIONED, WHY HADN'T ATC GIVEN SOME INDICATION OF THIS PRIOR TO MY APCH? WHY WAS I ASKED TO IDENT AN INTXN NOT LOCATED ON THE APCH PLATE OF THE APCH I WAS FLYING? THE SAFETY OF MY FLT WAS JEOPARDIZED BECAUSE ATC WANTED ME OUT OF THE WAY FOR FASTER TFC BEHIND ME. MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL AND GOTTEN ME ON THE GND FASTER.

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.