Narrative:

While on an IFR flight plan from abq to sow via saf (for practice instrument approachs) I requested an ILS approach into saf. I was instructed to hold southeast of the VOR. On the inbound leg ZAB advised me to fly heading, 300 vectors to intercept the DME arc. I had a safety pilot ( my assistant chief flight instructor from work) on board. The conditions were IMC with breaks in the clouds. I was wearing a view limiting device and we were picking up light rime ice. The controller advised me to fly heading 255 degrees to intercept the DME arc. At 11.4 DME, the safety pilot told me to turn right to a heading of 090 degrees. I questioned him, telling him I had never done a DME arc like that before. He told me that everything was ok and to maintain 090 degrees. I looked at the VOR receiver, it did not indicate we were turning properly. I again questioned the safety pilot. I then initiated a left turn. As I rolled back to 330 degrees the controller asked if we were intercepting the arc or flying to doman. The safety pilot replied that we were attempting to intercept the DME arc. The controller then advised us we were north of the course. The safety pilot then told me to fly back to a heading of 060 degrees, which I did. I did not have any idea where I was at this point and I again questioned the safety pilot. The controller then advised us that he would provide radar vectors to the ILS. I maintained the assigned altitude and headings and was cleared for the approach. The #1 navigation was not in agreement with the #2 navigation or the ADF. I questioned the indications and conveyed my doubts about the accuracy of the navigation equipment with my safety pilot. I continued to follow the approach until my safety pilot advised me we were VFR and he had the airplane, at which time I removed my view limiting device and advised the tower at saf that we were cancelling IFR and would proceed swbound to sow VFR. In the course of events I allowed the safety pilot to take the role of instructor and I of student. I failed to recognize he was disoriented, and I did not trust my own judgement of the situation. Prior to the flight we agreed he would control the frequency changes of the navigation/communication radios and assist me as needed. However, he was not very familiar with the navigation equipment and he was not consistent in making the changes. After terminating the instrument approach I found out that the #1 navigation was not properly set. I had failed a very basic rule. I did not properly identify the station prior to using it, I just listened to it. My perception was that my safety pilot knew more than I, and that I was confused about my location. I failed to act as PIC, failed to request assistance from center in a timely manner, and failed to identify a frequency problem in a timely manner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON VECTOR TO INTERCEPT A VOR ARC TUNES WRONG VOR AND TURNS WRONG WAY.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ABQ TO SOW VIA SAF (FOR PRACTICE INST APCHS) I REQUESTED AN ILS APCH INTO SAF. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SE OF THE VOR. ON THE INBOUND LEG ZAB ADVISED ME TO FLY HDG, 300 VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE DME ARC. I HAD A SAFETY PLT ( MY ASSISTANT CHIEF FLT INSTRUCTOR FROM WORK) ON BOARD. THE CONDITIONS WERE IMC WITH BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS. I WAS WEARING A VIEW LIMITING DEVICE AND WE WERE PICKING UP LIGHT RIME ICE. THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO FLY HDG 255 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE DME ARC. AT 11.4 DME, THE SAFETY PLT TOLD ME TO TURN R TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS. I QUESTIONED HIM, TELLING HIM I HAD NEVER DONE A DME ARC LIKE THAT BEFORE. HE TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK AND TO MAINTAIN 090 DEGS. I LOOKED AT THE VOR RECEIVER, IT DID NOT INDICATE WE WERE TURNING PROPERLY. I AGAIN QUESTIONED THE SAFETY PLT. I THEN INITIATED A L TURN. AS I ROLLED BACK TO 330 DEGS THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE INTERCEPTING THE ARC OR FLYING TO DOMAN. THE SAFETY PLT REPLIED THAT WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO INTERCEPT THE DME ARC. THE CTLR THEN ADVISED US WE WERE N OF THE COURSE. THE SAFETY PLT THEN TOLD ME TO FLY BACK TO A HDG OF 060 DEGS, WHICH I DID. I DID NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE I WAS AT THIS POINT AND I AGAIN QUESTIONED THE SAFETY PLT. THE CTLR THEN ADVISED US THAT HE WOULD PROVIDE RADAR VECTORS TO THE ILS. I MAINTAINED THE ASSIGNED ALT AND HDGS AND WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE #1 NAV WAS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE #2 NAV OR THE ADF. I QUESTIONED THE INDICATIONS AND CONVEYED MY DOUBTS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THE NAV EQUIP WITH MY SAFETY PLT. I CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE APCH UNTIL MY SAFETY PLT ADVISED ME WE WERE VFR AND HE HAD THE AIRPLANE, AT WHICH TIME I REMOVED MY VIEW LIMITING DEVICE AND ADVISED THE TWR AT SAF THAT WE WERE CANCELLING IFR AND WOULD PROCEED SWBOUND TO SOW VFR. IN THE COURSE OF EVENTS I ALLOWED THE SAFETY PLT TO TAKE THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTOR AND I OF STUDENT. I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE HE WAS DISORIENTED, AND I DID NOT TRUST MY OWN JUDGEMENT OF THE SIT. PRIOR TO THE FLT WE AGREED HE WOULD CTL THE FREQ CHANGES OF THE NAV/COM RADIOS AND ASSIST ME AS NEEDED. HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE NAV EQUIP AND HE WAS NOT CONSISTENT IN MAKING THE CHANGES. AFTER TERMINATING THE INST APCH I FOUND OUT THAT THE #1 NAV WAS NOT PROPERLY SET. I HAD FAILED A VERY BASIC RULE. I DID NOT PROPERLY IDENT THE STATION PRIOR TO USING IT, I JUST LISTENED TO IT. MY PERCEPTION WAS THAT MY SAFETY PLT KNEW MORE THAN I, AND THAT I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT MY LOCATION. I FAILED TO ACT AS PIC, FAILED TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM CTR IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND FAILED TO IDENT A FREQ PROB IN A TIMELY MANNER.

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.