GA small aircraft slight track heading deviation flying SID from vny.

Attributes
ACN	171703
Time
Date	199102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur tower : pit
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	171703
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed vny on glendale 6 departure. Contacted bur departure. Received radar vector of 110 degrees to intercept vny R096. Flew 110 degrees. Tuned in vny VOR on navigation radio #2. CDI showed centered on course with obs set at 096 degrees. Turned and assumed heading of 096 degrees then noticed that 'off' flag was showing on navigation radio #2. Tuned in vny VOR on navigation radio #1, set obs at 096 degrees and observed left needle deflection. Turned left on heading 070 degrees to intercept vny V096, but failed to alert bur departure of change of course. Intercepted R096 and resumed heading 096 degrees. My mistake was in not notifying departure once I discovered that my navigation radio #2 was inoperative. I should have notified departure that I was flying a heading of 096 degrees because I thought I had intercepted the vny R096 due to erroneous information from navigation radio #2 and requested vectors to intercept the radial. One factor affecting this mistake is the fact that the 'to,' 'from,' 'off,' indicators on my VOR receivers are relatively small and easily missed during INS scan. It would be helpful if the 'off' indication on these VOR receivers was presented in a way which could be easier for pilots in high workload situations do notice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA SLIGHT TRACK HEADING DEVIATION FLYING SID FROM VNY.

Narrative: DEPARTED VNY ON GLENDALE 6 DEP. CONTACTED BUR DEP. RECEIVED RADAR VECTOR OF 110 DEGS TO INTERCEPT VNY R096. FLEW 110 DEGS. TUNED IN VNY VOR ON NAV RADIO #2. CDI SHOWED CENTERED ON COURSE WITH OBS SET AT 096 DEGS. TURNED AND ASSUMED HDG OF 096 DEGS THEN NOTICED THAT 'OFF' FLAG WAS SHOWING ON NAV RADIO #2. TUNED IN VNY VOR ON NAV RADIO #1, SET OBS AT 096 DEGS AND OBSERVED LEFT NEEDLE DEFLECTION. TURNED LEFT ON HDG 070 DEGS TO INTERCEPT VNY V096, BUT FAILED TO ALERT BUR DEP OF CHANGE OF COURSE. INTERCEPTED R096 AND RESUMED HDG 096 DEGS. MY MISTAKE WAS IN NOT NOTIFYING DEP ONCE I DISCOVERED THAT MY NAV RADIO #2 WAS INOP. I SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED DEP THAT I WAS FLYING A HDG OF 096 DEGS BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD INTERCEPTED THE VNY R096 DUE TO ERRONEOUS INFO FROM NAV RADIO #2 AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL. ONE FACTOR AFFECTING THIS MISTAKE IS THE FACT THAT THE 'TO,' 'FROM,' 'OFF,' INDICATORS ON MY VOR RECEIVERS ARE RELATIVELY SMALL AND EASILY MISSED DURING INS SCAN. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE 'OFF' INDICATION ON THESE VOR RECEIVERS WAS PRESENTED IN A WAY WHICH COULD BE EASIER FOR PLTS IN HIGH WORKLOAD SITUATIONS DO NOTICE.

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.