Small aircraft pilot in IMC makes navigation error almost hits tower.

Attributes
ACN	236377
Time
Date	199303
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mop
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 88 flight time total : 610 flight time type : 78
ASRS Report	236377
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were flying an small aircraft from fnt to tvc via fnt direct to mop then V320 to tvc. We started VFR from dtw. Snow showers moved in very rapidly so I decided to shoot an ILS to land at fnt. On the ground lansing flight service advised us that the snow would end north of mop and be VMC. We departed IFR expecting to go VFR around mop. We were cleared to 4000 ft. I requested to stay at 3000 ft to avoid any ice which may have been in a higher layer. We were IMC at 3000 ft with intermittent ground contact. Our route of flight was to depart mop on V320, which is R333. However, I departed on R320 off mop. Saginaw approach handed us off to ZMP and advised us that center would not be able to see us or talk to us for awhile and that we should try them every 5 mi. There was no mention of our navigation error at that time. We were able to relay through an small aircraft with center. We were advised to try again 30 mi south of tvc. We continued on R320 at 3000 ft. Center then relayed through an small transport that we were getting close to a tower. At that time we were able to establish our own contact with center. We asked for vectors around the tower. There was a long pause. His reply was, 'you missed the tower by 1/2 mi.' had radio contact been established sooner or center relayed through the small aircraft, we may have been alerted to our navigation error sooner and been able to pass further from the tower. I have discussed this flight and occurrence with our chief flight instructor. We reviewed the possible reasons for my errors and the proper corrective action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT IN IMC MAKES NAV ERROR ALMOST HITS TWR.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING AN SMA FROM FNT TO TVC VIA FNT DIRECT TO MOP THEN V320 TO TVC. WE STARTED VFR FROM DTW. SNOW SHOWERS MOVED IN VERY RAPIDLY SO I DECIDED TO SHOOT AN ILS TO LAND AT FNT. ON THE GND LANSING FLT SVC ADVISED US THAT THE SNOW WOULD END N OF MOP AND BE VMC. WE DEPARTED IFR EXPECTING TO GO VFR AROUND MOP. WE WERE CLRED TO 4000 FT. I REQUESTED TO STAY AT 3000 FT TO AVOID ANY ICE WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN IN A HIGHER LAYER. WE WERE IMC AT 3000 FT WITH INTERMITTENT GND CONTACT. OUR RTE OF FLT WAS TO DEPART MOP ON V320, WHICH IS R333. HOWEVER, I DEPARTED ON R320 OFF MOP. SAGINAW APCH HANDED US OFF TO ZMP AND ADVISED US THAT CTR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE US OR TALK TO US FOR AWHILE AND THAT WE SHOULD TRY THEM EVERY 5 MI. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF OUR NAV ERROR AT THAT TIME. WE WERE ABLE TO RELAY THROUGH AN SMA WITH CTR. WE WERE ADVISED TO TRY AGAIN 30 MI S OF TVC. WE CONTINUED ON R320 AT 3000 FT. CTR THEN RELAYED THROUGH AN SMT THAT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO A TWR. AT THAT TIME WE WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH OUR OWN CONTACT WITH CTR. WE ASKED FOR VECTORS AROUND THE TWR. THERE WAS A LONG PAUSE. HIS REPLY WAS, 'YOU MISSED THE TWR BY 1/2 MI.' HAD RADIO CONTACT BEEN ESTABLISHED SOONER OR CTR RELAYED THROUGH THE SMA, WE MAY HAVE BEEN ALERTED TO OUR NAV ERROR SOONER AND BEEN ABLE TO PASS FURTHER FROM THE TWR. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS FLT AND OCCURRENCE WITH OUR CHIEF FLT INSTRUCTOR. WE REVIEWED THE POSSIBLE REASONS FOR MY ERRORS AND THE PROPER CORRECTIVE ACTION.

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.