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PA28 pilot becomes disoriented when utilizing ADF to find airport. Pilot becomes aware of equipment malfunction, declares emergency with bdr FSS, who xfers pilot to bdl approach control. Aircraft vectored back to destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 406951 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199806 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bdl |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bdl |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Route In Use | approach : straight in |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 406951 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
While returning to the originating airport after a scenic flight with family, it had become dark. I had reviewed the flight earlier and decided to just track the NDB (which was on the field) inbound to the airport. Approximately 20 mi from the airport the ADF needle swung to a radial bearing of 005 degrees. I tracked that in, or thought to have been tracking it in, until I realized I was over a city that was 20 mi past my destination airport. At some point the ADF quit working. I made a 180 degree turn with some disorientation as to the location of my destination airport. I attempted to call FSS on several frequencys with no luck. I had to resort to using 121.5. FSS then gave me the frequency of a local approach controller. I received radar vectors from him and landed uneventfully. I was lucky enough to not have penetrated any airspace. Some contributing factors were: 1) my relaxed attitude about finding a small, uncontrolled airport at night. 2) my depending only on my ADF. 3) my disorientation when I wasn't where I thought I should have been.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA28 PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED WHEN UTILIZING ADF TO FIND ARPT. PLT BECOMES AWARE OF EQUIP MALFUNCTION, DECLARES EMER WITH BDR FSS, WHO XFERS PLT TO BDL APCH CTL. ACFT VECTORED BACK TO DEST.
Narrative: WHILE RETURNING TO THE ORIGINATING ARPT AFTER A SCENIC FLT WITH FAMILY, IT HAD BECOME DARK. I HAD REVIEWED THE FLT EARLIER AND DECIDED TO JUST TRACK THE NDB (WHICH WAS ON THE FIELD) INBOUND TO THE ARPT. APPROX 20 MI FROM THE ARPT THE ADF NEEDLE SWUNG TO A RADIAL BEARING OF 005 DEGS. I TRACKED THAT IN, OR THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN TRACKING IT IN, UNTIL I REALIZED I WAS OVER A CITY THAT WAS 20 MI PAST MY DEST ARPT. AT SOME POINT THE ADF QUIT WORKING. I MADE A 180 DEG TURN WITH SOME DISORIENTATION AS TO THE LOCATION OF MY DEST ARPT. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL FSS ON SEVERAL FREQS WITH NO LUCK. I HAD TO RESORT TO USING 121.5. FSS THEN GAVE ME THE FREQ OF A LCL APCH CTLR. I RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS FROM HIM AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE PENETRATED ANY AIRSPACE. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) MY RELAXED ATTITUDE ABOUT FINDING A SMALL, UNCTLED ARPT AT NIGHT. 2) MY DEPENDING ONLY ON MY ADF. 3) MY DISORIENTATION WHEN I WASN'T WHERE I THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
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.