Narrative:

Inadvertent penetration of phx TCA during practice VOR-a approach to chandler stellar airport. Approach was commenced from held at warley intersection. Confirmed by both 17 DME from salt river and 225 degree right from willie. Descent to 2700' was accomplished before claus intersection. Noticed we were crossing willie 242 degree right, but DME still indicated 14.1 DME from salt river. Elected to believe DME and remained at 2700'. Noticed DME was counting down very slowly and realized something was wrong and elected to do a 180 degree turn back to the south. Noticed airport was behind us during turn and realized we had penetrated TCA since TCA floor drops from 4000 to 2100' just north of stellar airport. Contributing factors: DME was slaved to wrong VOR DME and 252 degree right from willie both confirmed warly intersection. This led to confidence that DME and VOR #2 were both accurate. Unfamiliarity with integrated avionics and fact that DME display was located at far lower left of INS panel. Extra effort required for flight instrument to see DME display. The fact that warly is also 17 DME from willie VOR. Unfamiliarity with area and preoccupation with traffic led avionics indication at claus. Failed to notice overflying airport and DME display switched to willie VOR. Failure to identify DME by audio.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TWIN DOING A PRACTICE IFR APCH TO UNCONTROLLED ARPT OVERFLEW THE ARPT AND PENETRATED THE PHX TCA.

Narrative: INADVERTENT PENETRATION OF PHX TCA DURING PRACTICE VOR-A APCH TO CHANDLER STELLAR ARPT. APCH WAS COMMENCED FROM HELD AT WARLEY INTXN. CONFIRMED BY BOTH 17 DME FROM SALT RIVER AND 225 DEG R FROM WILLIE. DSNT TO 2700' WAS ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE CLAUS INTXN. NOTICED WE WERE XING WILLIE 242 DEG R, BUT DME STILL INDICATED 14.1 DME FROM SALT RIVER. ELECTED TO BELIEVE DME AND REMAINED AT 2700'. NOTICED DME WAS COUNTING DOWN VERY SLOWLY AND REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND ELECTED TO DO A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO THE S. NOTICED ARPT WAS BEHIND US DURING TURN AND REALIZED WE HAD PENETRATED TCA SINCE TCA FLOOR DROPS FROM 4000 TO 2100' JUST N OF STELLAR ARPT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DME WAS SLAVED TO WRONG VOR DME AND 252 DEG R FROM WILLIE BOTH CONFIRMED WARLY INTXN. THIS LED TO CONFIDENCE THAT DME AND VOR #2 WERE BOTH ACCURATE. UNFAMILIARITY WITH INTEGRATED AVIONICS AND FACT THAT DME DISPLAY WAS LOCATED AT FAR LOWER LEFT OF INS PANEL. EXTRA EFFORT REQUIRED FOR FLT INSTR TO SEE DME DISPLAY. THE FACT THAT WARLY IS ALSO 17 DME FROM WILLIE VOR. UNFAMILIARITY WITH AREA AND PREOCCUPATION WITH TFC LED AVIONICS INDICATION AT CLAUS. FAILED TO NOTICE OVERFLYING ARPT AND DME DISPLAY SWITCHED TO WILLIE VOR. FAILURE TO IDENT DME BY AUDIO.

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.