Small aircraft pilot refuses arsa service, flies parallel to approach route, opposite direction.

Attributes
ACN	166960
Time
Date	199012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 3
ASRS Report	166960
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was out for a flight trying to build time in the small aircraft. The owner and I went to john wayne airport in santa ana, asked for a touch and go and then departed back toward riverside, ca. While departing the controller asked if we needed arsa service back. We said no which was a bad decision. Although I have flown into john wayne on many occasions and am familiar with the area I became disoriented when the combination of darkness and low scattered clouds blocked my visibility. I set the obs and turned toward the paradise VOR. Several mins passed before I noticed I was paralleling the airplanes on final into sna going in the opp direction. At the same time we started one left turn the tower asked if we were still on frequency and gave us radar vectors to get clear of the arsa. He also recommended we contact approach on 121.3. We did contact approach until clear of the arsa. I will never refuse the offer of radar service in the future and I will make sure the navigation equipment is working properly if I might use it. The VOR receiver in the plane was not operating properly when this incident occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT REFUSES ARSA SERVICE, FLIES PARALLEL TO APCH ROUTE, OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: I WAS OUT FOR A FLT TRYING TO BUILD TIME IN THE SMA. THE OWNER AND I WENT TO JOHN WAYNE ARPT IN SANTA ANA, ASKED FOR A TOUCH AND GO AND THEN DEPARTED BACK TOWARD RIVERSIDE, CA. WHILE DEPARTING THE CTLR ASKED IF WE NEEDED ARSA SVC BACK. WE SAID NO WHICH WAS A BAD DECISION. ALTHOUGH I HAVE FLOWN INTO JOHN WAYNE ON MANY OCCASIONS AND AM FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA I BECAME DISORIENTED WHEN THE COMBINATION OF DARKNESS AND LOW SCATTERED CLOUDS BLOCKED MY VISIBILITY. I SET THE OBS AND TURNED TOWARD THE PARADISE VOR. SEVERAL MINS PASSED BEFORE I NOTICED I WAS PARALLELING THE AIRPLANES ON FINAL INTO SNA GOING IN THE OPP DIRECTION. AT THE SAME TIME WE STARTED ONE L TURN THE TWR ASKED IF WE WERE STILL ON FREQ AND GAVE US RADAR VECTORS TO GET CLR OF THE ARSA. HE ALSO RECOMMENDED WE CONTACT APCH ON 121.3. WE DID CONTACT APCH UNTIL CLR OF THE ARSA. I WILL NEVER REFUSE THE OFFER OF RADAR SVC IN THE FUTURE AND I WILL MAKE SURE THE NAV EQUIP IS WORKING PROPERLY IF I MIGHT USE IT. THE VOR RECEIVER IN THE PLANE WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.

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.