Narrative:

For navigation, my plane has 1 navigation/communication (KX155 with FLIP-flop frequencys), ADF, VFR LORAN. I place a handheld which gives VOR radial readout on the left side of the panel. I have used this arrangement successfully for many yrs for IFR flight and approachs. For intxns, I use a handheld radio and LORAN for position information and confirm by momentarily switching the KX155 to the other VOR and checking the xradial. AWOS information for lansing, il (igq) and joliet, il (jot) suggested ceilings above the MDA at 1c2. For the VOR-a approach to 1c2, offit intersection is 262 degrees cgt and 358 degrees eon. While tracking the final approach course from cgt, the handheld indicated the plane to be at offit. I switched the KX155 to eon and confirmed. When I switched it back to cgt, I rotated the obs to 252 degrees instead of 262 degrees for the final approach course and flew to center the CDI. Approach called to tell me I was 2 mi south of the final approach and told me to climb immediately to 2500 ft. I responded that the CDI indicated me to be on the final approach course, then noticed the incorrect setting of the obs. I immediately climbed and told approach I would do the approach again. On the second approach to 1c2, apparently I was still overloaded. After passing offit, I did the missed approach upon reaching MDA of 1340 ft instead of waiting for the time to elapse. When the approach controller asked me why I did the missed approach. I told him I was at MDA and still in the clouds. I asked for vectors for ILS runway 30 at gary, in, and landed there. Probably the main factor in this situation was the overload due to the limited IFR approved navigation equipment in my plane. Although the taf for mdw, 20 mi northeast of 1c2, indicated possible very low ceilings and visibilities, the area forecast for northern illinois indicated clouds expected to be 1500 ft AGL, and I felt comfortable continuing to my destination. I should raise my personal minimums while using the limited navigation equipment in my plane. The first mistake interfered with the proper use of IFR procedures during the second approach, that I have learned and taught for yrs. I will practice more often and improve cockpit information management to make it easier to deal with unexpected sits. I usually place my timer next to the approach plate on the wheel, but I was using a timer on the lower left side of the panel, out of my usual view for approachs. At no time was control of the plane a problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE IN IMC, THE PLT OF A C172 DIALED IN THE WRONG VOR RADIAL FOR FINAL APCH RESULTING IN APCH CTLR ALERTING THE PLT THAT HE WAS 2 MI S OF THE FINAL VOR APCH COURSE.

Narrative: FOR NAV, MY PLANE HAS 1 NAV/COM (KX155 WITH FLIP-FLOP FREQS), ADF, VFR LORAN. I PLACE A HANDHELD WHICH GIVES VOR RADIAL READOUT ON THE L SIDE OF THE PANEL. I HAVE USED THIS ARRANGEMENT SUCCESSFULLY FOR MANY YRS FOR IFR FLT AND APCHS. FOR INTXNS, I USE A HANDHELD RADIO AND LORAN FOR POS INFO AND CONFIRM BY MOMENTARILY SWITCHING THE KX155 TO THE OTHER VOR AND CHKING THE XRADIAL. AWOS INFO FOR LANSING, IL (IGQ) AND JOLIET, IL (JOT) SUGGESTED CEILINGS ABOVE THE MDA AT 1C2. FOR THE VOR-A APCH TO 1C2, OFFIT INTXN IS 262 DEGS CGT AND 358 DEGS EON. WHILE TRACKING THE FINAL APCH COURSE FROM CGT, THE HANDHELD INDICATED THE PLANE TO BE AT OFFIT. I SWITCHED THE KX155 TO EON AND CONFIRMED. WHEN I SWITCHED IT BACK TO CGT, I ROTATED THE OBS TO 252 DEGS INSTEAD OF 262 DEGS FOR THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND FLEW TO CTR THE CDI. APCH CALLED TO TELL ME I WAS 2 MI S OF THE FINAL APCH AND TOLD ME TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 2500 FT. I RESPONDED THAT THE CDI INDICATED ME TO BE ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE, THEN NOTICED THE INCORRECT SETTING OF THE OBS. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED AND TOLD APCH I WOULD DO THE APCH AGAIN. ON THE SECOND APCH TO 1C2, APPARENTLY I WAS STILL OVERLOADED. AFTER PASSING OFFIT, I DID THE MISSED APCH UPON REACHING MDA OF 1340 FT INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE TIME TO ELAPSE. WHEN THE APCH CTLR ASKED ME WHY I DID THE MISSED APCH. I TOLD HIM I WAS AT MDA AND STILL IN THE CLOUDS. I ASKED FOR VECTORS FOR ILS RWY 30 AT GARY, IN, AND LANDED THERE. PROBABLY THE MAIN FACTOR IN THIS SIT WAS THE OVERLOAD DUE TO THE LIMITED IFR APPROVED NAV EQUIP IN MY PLANE. ALTHOUGH THE TAF FOR MDW, 20 MI NE OF 1C2, INDICATED POSSIBLE VERY LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES, THE AREA FORECAST FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS INDICATED CLOUDS EXPECTED TO BE 1500 FT AGL, AND I FELT COMFORTABLE CONTINUING TO MY DEST. I SHOULD RAISE MY PERSONAL MINIMUMS WHILE USING THE LIMITED NAV EQUIP IN MY PLANE. THE FIRST MISTAKE INTERFERED WITH THE PROPER USE OF IFR PROCS DURING THE SECOND APCH, THAT I HAVE LEARNED AND TAUGHT FOR YRS. I WILL PRACTICE MORE OFTEN AND IMPROVE COCKPIT INFO MGMNT TO MAKE IT EASIER TO DEAL WITH UNEXPECTED SITS. I USUALLY PLACE MY TIMER NEXT TO THE APCH PLATE ON THE WHEEL, BUT I WAS USING A TIMER ON THE LOWER L SIDE OF THE PANEL, OUT OF MY USUAL VIEW FOR APCHS. AT NO TIME WAS CTL OF THE PLANE A PROB.

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.