C172 pilot loses GPS and becomes disoriented in the fll and fxe area.

Attributes
ACN	456100
Time
Date	199911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fll.tower tower : fxe.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : vfr enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 241 flight time type : 6
ASRS Report	456100
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying from key west to fort lauderdale executive (fxe) when my garmin 195 flashed an unfamiliar error message. The GPS appeared to be working fine. As I continued to fly north, I contacted fort lauderdale international. They asked me to squawk XXXX and identify. They replied 'we show you 7 mi southeast of the airport.' at this point I know my GPS is not working and there are a lack of other navaids available to me. Additionally, I am 6 mi offshore on a fairly cloudy night. I few mins later, my passenger in the back seat indicated we had passed the airport. I asked if he was sure and he indicated that the airport was due west of a group of buildings along the shore. I contacted fort lauderdale tower and canceled flight following, squawked VFR (1200), listened to fxe ATIS, contacted fxe tower and reported this to the northeast inbound with ATIS information. They instructed me to enter midfield for left downwind. As we go over the shoreline my passenger indicates he's not sure where the airport is. I call fxe tower and he directs me to fly north. A couple mins later I see the airport, call fxe tower and he directs me to enter midfield right downwind. We did and we were asked frequency with lauderdale international tower. I should have remained on received vectors to fxe!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT LOSES GPS AND BECOMES DISORIENTED IN THE FLL AND FXE AREA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM KEY WEST TO FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE (FXE) WHEN MY GARMIN 195 FLASHED AN UNFAMILIAR ERROR MESSAGE. THE GPS APPEARED TO BE WORKING FINE. AS I CONTINUED TO FLY N, I CONTACTED FORT LAUDERDALE INTL. THEY ASKED ME TO SQUAWK XXXX AND IDENT. THEY REPLIED 'WE SHOW YOU 7 MI SE OF THE ARPT.' AT THIS POINT I KNOW MY GPS IS NOT WORKING AND THERE ARE A LACK OF OTHER NAVAIDS AVAILABLE TO ME. ADDITIONALLY, I AM 6 MI OFFSHORE ON A FAIRLY CLOUDY NIGHT. I FEW MINS LATER, MY PAX IN THE BACK SEAT INDICATED WE HAD PASSED THE ARPT. I ASKED IF HE WAS SURE AND HE INDICATED THAT THE ARPT WAS DUE W OF A GROUP OF BUILDINGS ALONG THE SHORE. I CONTACTED FORT LAUDERDALE TWR AND CANCELED FLT FOLLOWING, SQUAWKED VFR (1200), LISTENED TO FXE ATIS, CONTACTED FXE TWR AND RPTED THIS TO THE NE INBOUND WITH ATIS INFO. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER MIDFIELD FOR L DOWNWIND. AS WE GO OVER THE SHORELINE MY PAX INDICATES HE'S NOT SURE WHERE THE ARPT IS. I CALL FXE TWR AND HE DIRECTS ME TO FLY N. A COUPLE MINS LATER I SEE THE ARPT, CALL FXE TWR AND HE DIRECTS ME TO ENTER MIDFIELD R DOWNWIND. WE DID AND WE WERE ASKED FREQ WITH LAUDERDALE INTL TWR. I SHOULD HAVE REMAINED ON RECEIVED VECTORS TO FXE!

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.