Pilot of an small aircraft sel failed to follow assigned flight plan route and was vectored by ATC o...

Attributes
ACN	308360
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ptw airport : n88
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Mooney Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 486 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	308360
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At XA20 UTC I departed N88 on an IFR flight plan to lancaster, PA. I departed runway 05, swinging wide to the west. As I stabilized flight, I activated autoplt. I inadvertently removed heading and navigation flight modes from the flight control system. When I realized this, I activated heading mode but by this time I was north of course and didn't realize it until phl approach told me. I accepted a 220 degree left turn to intercept V143 which I properly intercepted (hand flying the intercept). My mistake was choosing the heading mode for the autoplt. I should either have chosen the navigation mode or turned the heading bug to intercept the course to ptw VOR. I should also have paid more attention to VOR #1's CDI. I was a bit anxious since this was my first single pilot flight in IMC. After this, I settled down and maintained my course, same for flight back. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he has not heard further from this incident even though the controller who helped him with a vector to on course did sound perturbed about the incident. He stated that he was realizing his mistake and correcting back at the same time that ATC controller intervened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL FAILED TO FOLLOW ASSIGNED FLT PLAN RTE AND WAS VECTORED BY ATC ON COURSE.

Narrative: AT XA20 UTC I DEPARTED N88 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO LANCASTER, PA. I DEPARTED RWY 05, SWINGING WIDE TO THE W. AS I STABILIZED FLT, I ACTIVATED AUTOPLT. I INADVERTENTLY REMOVED HDG AND NAV FLT MODES FROM THE FLT CTL SYS. WHEN I REALIZED THIS, I ACTIVATED HDG MODE BUT BY THIS TIME I WAS N OF COURSE AND DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL PHL APCH TOLD ME. I ACCEPTED A 220 DEG L TURN TO INTERCEPT V143 WHICH I PROPERLY INTERCEPTED (HAND FLYING THE INTERCEPT). MY MISTAKE WAS CHOOSING THE HDG MODE FOR THE AUTOPLT. I SHOULD EITHER HAVE CHOSEN THE NAV MODE OR TURNED THE HDG BUG TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE TO PTW VOR. I SHOULD ALSO HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO VOR #1'S CDI. I WAS A BIT ANXIOUS SINCE THIS WAS MY FIRST SINGLE PLT FLT IN IMC. AFTER THIS, I SETTLED DOWN AND MAINTAINED MY COURSE, SAME FOR FLT BACK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAS NOT HEARD FURTHER FROM THIS INCIDENT EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR WHO HELPED HIM WITH A VECTOR TO ON COURSE DID SOUND PERTURBED ABOUT THE INCIDENT. HE STATED THAT HE WAS REALIZING HIS MISTAKE AND CORRECTING BACK AT THE SAME TIME THAT ATC CTLR INTERVENED.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft sel failed to follow assigned flight plan route and was vectored by ATC on course.