Narrative:

The situation was a botched IFR approach. We were inbound for elp and expecting the localizer DME to runway 4. We were within approximately 10 mi with vectors when another aircraft, I believe it was an air carrier reported moderate to severe turbulence on approach and final to runway 4. Approach asked if we could accept VOR to runway 26L. I said ok and proceeded to get the chart on top of my yoke clip. I changed the VOR frequency's and both navigation/communication and turned to the heading. Approach was giving me to intercept the 081 degree radial. Direct the VOR. We were cleared for the approach. My first mistake was not changing the DME from the localizer/DME frequency of 111.5 to the VOR of 115.2. I flew along and saw that the DME was getting farther away from the fix, which I still was thinking was the VOR-DME. I had intercepted the 245 degree radial which was the final radial to the airport. We had broken out but could not see the airport. At 3.7 DME I was preparing to go missed approach when approach ask me if I saw the airport. I told them no. I could see town and a large bank was below me. They gave me an immediate climbing left turn to 120 degrees and 7000 ft. We went back out and came in on an ASR with no further problems. From my point I see 3 contributing major factors to this problem. The transponder had quit on the way down, therefore only primary returns were seen. I think we were not in radar contact at this time. I missed VOR station passage for a brief period and did not turn at the right time. Wrong frequency set up on the DME. Once I got things together with the right frequencys everything was ok for the remainder of the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INADEQUATE PLT TECHNIQUE FLYING CREATES A POOR APCH PROC WHICH CALLS FOR AN AMENDED CLRNC AND AN ASR APCH.

Narrative: THE SITUATION WAS A BOTCHED IFR APCH. WE WERE INBOUND FOR ELP AND EXPECTING THE LOC DME TO RWY 4. WE WERE WITHIN APPROX 10 MI WITH VECTORS WHEN ANOTHER ACFT, I BELIEVE IT WAS AN ACR RPTED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB ON APCH AND FINAL TO RWY 4. APCH ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT VOR TO RWY 26L. I SAID OK AND PROCEEDED TO GET THE CHART ON TOP OF MY YOKE CLIP. I CHANGED THE VOR FREQ'S AND BOTH NAV/COM AND TURNED TO THE HDG. APCH WAS GIVING ME TO INTERCEPT THE 081 DEG RADIAL. DIRECT THE VOR. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. MY FIRST MISTAKE WAS NOT CHANGING THE DME FROM THE LOC/DME FREQ OF 111.5 TO THE VOR OF 115.2. I FLEW ALONG AND SAW THAT THE DME WAS GETTING FARTHER AWAY FROM THE FIX, WHICH I STILL WAS THINKING WAS THE VOR-DME. I HAD INTERCEPTED THE 245 DEG RADIAL WHICH WAS THE FINAL RADIAL TO THE ARPT. WE HAD BROKEN OUT BUT COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. AT 3.7 DME I WAS PREPARING TO GO MISSED APCH WHEN APCH ASK ME IF I SAW THE ARPT. I TOLD THEM NO. I COULD SEE TOWN AND A LARGE BANK WAS BELOW ME. THEY GAVE ME AN IMMEDIATE CLBING L TURN TO 120 DEGS AND 7000 FT. WE WENT BACK OUT AND CAME IN ON AN ASR WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. FROM MY POINT I SEE 3 CONTRIBUTING MAJOR FACTORS TO THIS PROBLEM. THE TRANSPONDER HAD QUIT ON THE WAY DOWN, THEREFORE ONLY PRIMARY RETURNS WERE SEEN. I THINK WE WERE NOT IN RADAR CONTACT AT THIS TIME. I MISSED VOR STATION PASSAGE FOR A BRIEF PERIOD AND DID NOT TURN AT THE RIGHT TIME. WRONG FREQ SET UP ON THE DME. ONCE I GOT THINGS TOGETHER WITH THE RIGHT FREQS EVERYTHING WAS OK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT.

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.