Narrative:

I was flying the owner of my FBO to san diego gillespie field to look at an aircraft for possible purchase. Owner has 4000+ hours, CFI, mei, cfii, but is not current. We were vectored to final approach and began to descend as planned into IMC. Ceiling approximately 3100' MSL. While waiting for OM, the owner began to get nervous and became quite distracting. I was holding altitude at 4100' and requested tower to fix our position. They are a non radar tower (a bad idea for that approach), and they needed to contact san diego approach. Approach indicated that we were 4 NM from the airport on the LOA approach. I began to descend (the MDA was now about 2400'--I don't have the plate in front of me, so I don't know the exact #). The owner freaked out and ordered that I stop my descent and return to 4100'. I requested another fix from ATC and was told that I was .5 NM from the airport at 4100' AGL. I began to execute a missed approach and at the urging of my copilot/FBO owner climbed 200' to VFR on top, then proceeded to the mission bay VOR direct and contacted san approach. The published missed approach procedure calls for a 3000' AGL altitude to mission bay. I was queried by ATC as to my altitude and I gave some weak answer. My FBO owner requested my immediate return to our departure airport. The problem: before entering IMC I reviewed the approach plate, set up the radios, x-fixes, timer, etc. I tested the marker beacons, DME, etc on the approach. The DME failed and the marker beacons never went off. Upon return I reported both failures. West/O the marker beacons I could not descend unless I had a radar fix, which I did (descent was initiated at correct position). I will probably never fly with the owner again (what a relief), and I hope to never fly with a non-current/competent pilot again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON MISSED APCH FAILS TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCS.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE OWNER OF MY FBO TO SAN DIEGO GILLESPIE FIELD TO LOOK AT AN ACFT FOR POSSIBLE PURCHASE. OWNER HAS 4000+ HRS, CFI, MEI, CFII, BUT IS NOT CURRENT. WE WERE VECTORED TO FINAL APCH AND BEGAN TO DSND AS PLANNED INTO IMC. CEILING APPROX 3100' MSL. WHILE WAITING FOR OM, THE OWNER BEGAN TO GET NERVOUS AND BECAME QUITE DISTRACTING. I WAS HOLDING ALT AT 4100' AND REQUESTED TWR TO FIX OUR POS. THEY ARE A NON RADAR TWR (A BAD IDEA FOR THAT APCH), AND THEY NEEDED TO CONTACT SAN DIEGO APCH. APCH INDICATED THAT WE WERE 4 NM FROM THE ARPT ON THE LOA APCH. I BEGAN TO DSND (THE MDA WAS NOW ABOUT 2400'--I DON'T HAVE THE PLATE IN FRONT OF ME, SO I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT #). THE OWNER FREAKED OUT AND ORDERED THAT I STOP MY DSNT AND RETURN TO 4100'. I REQUESTED ANOTHER FIX FROM ATC AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS .5 NM FROM THE ARPT AT 4100' AGL. I BEGAN TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH AND AT THE URGING OF MY COPLT/FBO OWNER CLBED 200' TO VFR ON TOP, THEN PROCEEDED TO THE MISSION BAY VOR DIRECT AND CONTACTED SAN APCH. THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH PROC CALLS FOR A 3000' AGL ALT TO MISSION BAY. I WAS QUERIED BY ATC AS TO MY ALT AND I GAVE SOME WEAK ANSWER. MY FBO OWNER REQUESTED MY IMMEDIATE RETURN TO OUR DEP ARPT. THE PROB: BEFORE ENTERING IMC I REVIEWED THE APCH PLATE, SET UP THE RADIOS, X-FIXES, TIMER, ETC. I TESTED THE MARKER BEACONS, DME, ETC ON THE APCH. THE DME FAILED AND THE MARKER BEACONS NEVER WENT OFF. UPON RETURN I RPTED BOTH FAILURES. W/O THE MARKER BEACONS I COULD NOT DSND UNLESS I HAD A RADAR FIX, WHICH I DID (DSNT WAS INITIATED AT CORRECT POS). I WILL PROBABLY NEVER FLY WITH THE OWNER AGAIN (WHAT A RELIEF), AND I HOPE TO NEVER FLY WITH A NON-CURRENT/COMPETENT PLT AGAIN.

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.