Narrative:

ATC cleared me direct to south bend. That's where I went. No problem. As I got closer to sbn (50 NM), I switched over to the gij VOR located 4 mi north of the field, and began tracking it. I should have just gone RNAV to the field (I think), but I forgot and tracked the VOR. Nothing was said. About 30 NM out I was cleared out of 8000 down to 3000'. About 6000' and 20 mi or so I was asked what approach was listed by ATIS at sbn, and I replied ILS 9 (winds were light). I asked for WX and he said he'd try to find some, but his computer was down. I figured it was good VFR and 4000' broken 4 mi (much better now). I figured I'd be doing a visibility approach, and he'd clear me. At 5500' I had complete ground contact and about 10 mi visibility at 18 NM he said to maintain 3000' until established on a portion of the approach and cleared me for the approach. This took me by surprise, as they normally give vector to the localizer. I acknowledged him, but can't remember if I said, 'cleared for ILS 9 approach,' or simply, 'cleared for the approach.' at any rate I kept going to the VOR. I now began looking for the IAF (it took awhile) and found that it was the LOM for the ILS 27. I didn't want to do that because I was visibility at 3000' and good visibility, so kept heading for the VOR because that would put me on a 45 degree entry into left downwind 9. At no point was I ever questioned as to what I was doing. I don't think the controller really cared. He said nothing. Then he said the instructions for cancellation. I found the airport about 5 mi out and cancelled. He acknowledged. The things I did wrong were: not going direct sbn, expecting vectors and not going to the if. Contributing to the mistakes were depending on ATC, the task loading, the pressure of performing for the passenger, dealing with WX en route, and a long day. I think this would have been prevented if the controller would have helped me more and if I would have questioned what he was doing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA WITH PASSENGERS DEVIATED FROM CLRNC. SAW ARPT, CANCELLED AND PROCEEDED VFR.

Narrative: ATC CLRED ME DIRECT TO SOUTH BEND. THAT'S WHERE I WENT. NO PROB. AS I GOT CLOSER TO SBN (50 NM), I SWITCHED OVER TO THE GIJ VOR LOCATED 4 MI N OF THE FIELD, AND BEGAN TRACKING IT. I SHOULD HAVE JUST GONE RNAV TO THE FIELD (I THINK), BUT I FORGOT AND TRACKED THE VOR. NOTHING WAS SAID. ABOUT 30 NM OUT I WAS CLRED OUT OF 8000 DOWN TO 3000'. ABOUT 6000' AND 20 MI OR SO I WAS ASKED WHAT APCH WAS LISTED BY ATIS AT SBN, AND I REPLIED ILS 9 (WINDS WERE LIGHT). I ASKED FOR WX AND HE SAID HE'D TRY TO FIND SOME, BUT HIS COMPUTER WAS DOWN. I FIGURED IT WAS GOOD VFR AND 4000' BROKEN 4 MI (MUCH BETTER NOW). I FIGURED I'D BE DOING A VIS APCH, AND HE'D CLR ME. AT 5500' I HAD COMPLETE GND CONTACT AND ABOUT 10 MI VISIBILITY AT 18 NM HE SAID TO MAINTAIN 3000' UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON A PORTION OF THE APCH AND CLRED ME FOR THE APCH. THIS TOOK ME BY SURPRISE, AS THEY NORMALLY GIVE VECTOR TO THE LOC. I ACKNOWLEDGED HIM, BUT CAN'T REMEMBER IF I SAID, 'CLRED FOR ILS 9 APCH,' OR SIMPLY, 'CLRED FOR THE APCH.' AT ANY RATE I KEPT GOING TO THE VOR. I NOW BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE IAF (IT TOOK AWHILE) AND FOUND THAT IT WAS THE LOM FOR THE ILS 27. I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE I WAS VIS AT 3000' AND GOOD VISIBILITY, SO KEPT HDG FOR THE VOR BECAUSE THAT WOULD PUT ME ON A 45 DEG ENTRY INTO LEFT DOWNWIND 9. AT NO POINT WAS I EVER QUESTIONED AS TO WHAT I WAS DOING. I DON'T THINK THE CTLR REALLY CARED. HE SAID NOTHING. THEN HE SAID THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANCELLATION. I FOUND THE ARPT ABOUT 5 MI OUT AND CANCELLED. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. THE THINGS I DID WRONG WERE: NOT GOING DIRECT SBN, EXPECTING VECTORS AND NOT GOING TO THE IF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE MISTAKES WERE DEPENDING ON ATC, THE TASK LOADING, THE PRESSURE OF PERFORMING FOR THE PAX, DEALING WITH WX ENRTE, AND A LONG DAY. I THINK THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE CTLR WOULD HAVE HELPED ME MORE AND IF I WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED WHAT HE WAS DOING.

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.