Narrative:

ATC clearance was from san angelo, tx (sjt) via V68 to center point VOR (csi) V161 to three rivers VOR (thx) direct to alice VOR (aci) direct to harlingen airport. After reaching the alice VOR I proceeded to the harlingen airport. The only navigation facility on the field is the localizer for runway 17R. Over alice I was receiving sebas LOM so I took a heading to intercept the localizer and track directly to the airport. After a few mins I was asked by kingsville approach which radial I was tracking from alice VOR. I informed him that I was proceeding direct to sebas. I quickly checked the radial and reported on the 145 degree radial. A few more mins passed and kingsville asked if I was over the localizer course. I reported that I was intercepting the localizer course from hrl airport at that time. Kingsville approach then informed me that he wondered why I did that since there was no indication of that on the flight plan. ATC (kingsville) also informed me that the alice VOR radial to harlingen was the 157 degree radial. I acknowledged this information and was switched to valley approach control. I was confused as to the route I was supposed to take. I had filed direct to the airport after alice VOR. The 157 degree radial would have taken me to the sebas LOM just north of the airport. I flew the most direct route using the available navigation aids located on the field. I flew to intercept the 175 degree bearing to the sebas LOM until I received a reliable navigation signal from the localizer and tracked directly to the airport. I don't know if the controller thought I was first going to the hrl VOR then to the airport or what. The service volume of the alice VOR is 40 NM so I had to use the next available navigation aid of either the LOM or localizer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER SMT TRACK HDG DEV.

Narrative: ATC CLRNC WAS FROM SAN ANGELO, TX (SJT) VIA V68 TO CENTER POINT VOR (CSI) V161 TO THREE RIVERS VOR (THX) DIRECT TO ALICE VOR (ACI) DIRECT TO HARLINGEN ARPT. AFTER REACHING THE ALICE VOR I PROCEEDED TO THE HARLINGEN ARPT. THE ONLY NAV FACILITY ON THE FIELD IS THE LOC FOR RWY 17R. OVER ALICE I WAS RECEIVING SEBAS LOM SO I TOOK A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND TRACK DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT. AFTER A FEW MINS I WAS ASKED BY KINGSVILLE APCH WHICH RADIAL I WAS TRACKING FROM ALICE VOR. I INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS PROCEEDING DIRECT TO SEBAS. I QUICKLY CHKED THE RADIAL AND RPTED ON THE 145 DEG RADIAL. A FEW MORE MINS PASSED AND KINGSVILLE ASKED IF I WAS OVER THE LOC COURSE. I RPTED THAT I WAS INTERCEPTING THE LOC COURSE FROM HRL ARPT AT THAT TIME. KINGSVILLE APCH THEN INFORMED ME THAT HE WONDERED WHY I DID THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF THAT ON THE FLT PLAN. ATC (KINGSVILLE) ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE ALICE VOR RADIAL TO HARLINGEN WAS THE 157 DEG RADIAL. I ACKNOWLEDGED THIS INFO AND WAS SWITCHED TO VALLEY APCH CTL. I WAS CONFUSED AS TO THE RTE I WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE. I HAD FILED DIRECT TO THE ARPT AFTER ALICE VOR. THE 157 DEG RADIAL WOULD HAVE TAKEN ME TO THE SEBAS LOM JUST N OF THE ARPT. I FLEW THE MOST DIRECT RTE USING THE AVAILABLE NAV AIDS LOCATED ON THE FIELD. I FLEW TO INTERCEPT THE 175 DEG BEARING TO THE SEBAS LOM UNTIL I RECEIVED A RELIABLE NAV SIGNAL FROM THE LOC AND TRACKED DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CTLR THOUGHT I WAS FIRST GOING TO THE HRL VOR THEN TO THE ARPT OR WHAT. THE SVC VOLUME OF THE ALICE VOR IS 40 NM SO I HAD TO USE THE NEXT AVAILABLE NAV AID OF EITHER THE LOM OR LOC.

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.