Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from philadelphia northeast airport (pne) to raleigh durham international (rdu). My clearance had been amended to include raleigh argal four arrival. I was on victor 213 inbound to hopewell VORTAC communicating with richmond approach. At approximately 2 NM northeast of hopewell richmond approach changed my heading to the right of V213. I flew the new heading for approximately 3 mins after which richmond approach issued a clearance for a left turn to a heading to intercept V615 and resume my own navigation. I set my #1 VOR receiver for the intercept and flew the assigned heading until the needle centered and began tracking what I thought was V615. I then set the #2 VOR receiver to franklin VORTAC so as to note my arrival at duffi intersection. Shortly thereafter, richmond approach questioned my track stating that I was well to the east of hopewell 215 degree radial. I was given a heading to fly to place me on the radial. Yet, again, when by all indications I had established the aircraft on the 215 degree radial, richmond stated that I was tracking east of it. As a result, I checked the radial setting on the #1 VOR receiver and found that instead of the 216 degree radial, I had, in error set it to 205 degree radial. I made the correction, intercepted the radial and completed the flight without further errors. Contributing factors: fatigue. Prior to the flight I stayed up late finishing up reports that had to be in the mail the day of my flight. I got in bed at approximately XA30 am and was up at XE30 am, check the WX, filed my flight plan and packed my bag. I felt ok, or at least I thought I was. There was light to moderate turbulence along the entire route which I am now sure also contributed to the fatigue factor. Then add the changes in heading just prior to arriving at hopewell VORTAC, maneuvers that took me out of my standard VOR passing routine, and you have a situation that is prone for errors. The solution to preventing a recurrence of this type situation is to be sure to be well rested prior to any flight, to check oneself both physically and mentally and make sure you are in a condition to maintain alertness during the duration of the planned flight. And, no matter what, always check, and double-check all navigation settings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT HAD TRACK DEV IN RDU CLASS E.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM PHILADELPHIA NORTHEAST ARPT (PNE) TO RALEIGH DURHAM INTL (RDU). MY CLRNC HAD BEEN AMENDED TO INCLUDE RALEIGH ARGAL FOUR ARR. I WAS ON VICTOR 213 INBOUND TO HOPEWELL VORTAC COMMUNICATING WITH RICHMOND APCH. AT APPROX 2 NM NE OF HOPEWELL RICHMOND APCH CHANGED MY HEADING TO THE R OF V213. I FLEW THE NEW HEADING FOR APPROX 3 MINS AFTER WHICH RICHMOND APCH ISSUED A CLRNC FOR A L TURN TO A HEADING TO INTERCEPT V615 AND RESUME MY OWN NAV. I SET MY #1 VOR RECEIVER FOR THE INTERCEPT AND FLEW THE ASSIGNED HEADING UNTIL THE NEEDLE CTRED AND BEGAN TRACKING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS V615. I THEN SET THE #2 VOR RECEIVER TO FRANKLIN VORTAC SO AS TO NOTE MY ARR AT DUFFI INTXN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RICHMOND APCH QUESTIONED MY TRACK STATING THAT I WAS WELL TO THE E OF HOPEWELL 215 DEG RADIAL. I WAS GIVEN A HEADING TO FLY TO PLACE ME ON THE RADIAL. YET, AGAIN, WHEN BY ALL INDICATIONS I HAD ESTABLISHED THE ACFT ON THE 215 DEG RADIAL, RICHMOND STATED THAT I WAS TRACKING E OF IT. AS A RESULT, I CHKED THE RADIAL SETTING ON THE #1 VOR RECEIVER AND FOUND THAT INSTEAD OF THE 216 DEG RADIAL, I HAD, IN ERROR SET IT TO 205 DEG RADIAL. I MADE THE CORRECTION, INTERCEPTED THE RADIAL AND COMPLETED THE FLT WITHOUT FURTHER ERRORS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FATIGUE. PRIOR TO THE FLT I STAYED UP LATE FINISHING UP RPTS THAT HAD TO BE IN THE MAIL THE DAY OF MY FLT. I GOT IN BED AT APPROX XA30 AM AND WAS UP AT XE30 AM, CHK THE WX, FILED MY FLT PLAN AND PACKED MY BAG. I FELT OK, OR AT LEAST I THOUGHT I WAS. THERE WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB ALONG THE ENTIRE RTE WHICH I AM NOW SURE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE FATIGUE FACTOR. THEN ADD THE CHANGES IN HEADING JUST PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT HOPEWELL VORTAC, MANEUVERS THAT TOOK ME OUT OF MY STANDARD VOR PASSING ROUTINE, AND YOU HAVE A SIT THAT IS PRONE FOR ERRORS. THE SOLUTION TO PREVENTING A RECURRENCE OF THIS TYPE SIT IS TO BE SURE TO BE WELL RESTED PRIOR TO ANY FLT, TO CHK ONESELF BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN A CONDITION TO MAINTAIN ALERTNESS DURING THE DURATION OF THE PLANNED FLT. AND, NO MATTER WHAT, ALWAYS CHK, AND DOUBLE-CHK ALL NAV SETTINGS.

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.