Off ILS localizer at minimums elected to circle land at 500 ft AGL.

Attributes
ACN	259316
Time
Date	199312
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg tower : geg tower : sql
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	259316
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On IFR fp gtf-geg about XA30 local estimated time en route 1 plus 30 having arrived about an hour earlier from stp. Got up early for an early start but got frustrated by last min phone calls and departure preparations. Flew stp to gtf at 16000 ft (4 plus 30 en route). When ZLC handed me off to get approach control I observed that the gyroscope compass and magnetic compass didn't agree. Reported discrepancy to approach control who suggested no-gyroscope approach which I gratefully accepted. Tuned LORAN to runway as backup and was cleared for ILS 3 and to call tower when established. I called tower when on localizer and GS but got no answer. About then the LORAN flashed warning 'no reliable signal.' double-checked for correct tower frequency. Broke out about 500 ft too close to runway end. Flew along runway still calling tower and asking for left downwind to land. Tower cleared me to land and hurry off runway. After landing, gave the airplane to radio shop (their report is attached). I believe the early morning rush to get started, the long day of IFR, the drifting gyroscope compass, the confusing magnetic compass readings, the LORAN misbehavior, all contributed to a poor approach. When I broke out I could have slipped off the excess altitude and landed on the 2ND half of the runway but I didn't even think of that. My anxiety to get on the ground took precedence. In retrospect, I should have spent more time at gtf and relaxed for 1/2 hour or so. My airplane was recently annualed and this was 1ST cross country since.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OFF ILS LOC AT MINIMUMS ELECTED TO CIRCLE LAND AT 500 FT AGL.

Narrative: ON IFR FP GTF-GEG ABOUT XA30 LCL ESTIMATED TIME ENRTE 1 PLUS 30 HAVING ARRIVED ABOUT AN HR EARLIER FROM STP. GOT UP EARLY FOR AN EARLY START BUT GOT FRUSTRATED BY LAST MIN PHONE CALLS AND DEP PREPARATIONS. FLEW STP TO GTF AT 16000 FT (4 PLUS 30 ENRTE). WHEN ZLC HANDED ME OFF TO GET APCH CTL I OBSERVED THAT THE GYROSCOPE COMPASS AND MAGNETIC COMPASS DIDN'T AGREE. RPTED DISCREPANCY TO APCH CTL WHO SUGGESTED NO-GYROSCOPE APCH WHICH I GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED. TUNED LORAN TO RWY AS BACKUP AND WAS CLRED FOR ILS 3 AND TO CALL TWR WHEN ESTABLISHED. I CALLED TWR WHEN ON LOC AND GS BUT GOT NO ANSWER. ABOUT THEN THE LORAN FLASHED WARNING 'NO RELIABLE SIGNAL.' DOUBLE-CHKED FOR CORRECT TWR FREQ. BROKE OUT ABOUT 500 FT TOO CLOSE TO RWY END. FLEW ALONG RWY STILL CALLING TWR AND ASKING FOR L DOWNWIND TO LAND. TWR CLRED ME TO LAND AND HURRY OFF RWY. AFTER LNDG, GAVE THE AIRPLANE TO RADIO SHOP (THEIR RPT IS ATTACHED). I BELIEVE THE EARLY MORNING RUSH TO GET STARTED, THE LONG DAY OF IFR, THE DRIFTING GYROSCOPE COMPASS, THE CONFUSING MAGNETIC COMPASS READINGS, THE LORAN MISBEHAVIOR, ALL CONTRIBUTED TO A POOR APCH. WHEN I BROKE OUT I COULD HAVE SLIPPED OFF THE EXCESS ALT AND LANDED ON THE 2ND HALF OF THE RWY BUT I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF THAT. MY ANXIETY TO GET ON THE GND TOOK PRECEDENCE. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME AT GTF AND RELAXED FOR 1/2 HR OR SO. MY AIRPLANE WAS RECENTLY ANNUALED AND THIS WAS 1ST XCOUNTRY SINCE.

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.