GA pilot enters approach corridor.

Attributes
ACN	548970
Time
Date	200205
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sjc.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 81 flight time type : 81
ASRS Report	548970
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : provided flight assist controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route from location 1 to location 2, observed coastal stratus obscuring my intended route of flight over the area. Elected to divert via XXX and began navigating via pilotage along the highway 101 corridor. Picked up flight following with approach, received handoff to center, then approach. Did not yet have airport in sight, so tuned in VOR and found myself on 120 degree radial which I began tracking inbound. Requested for and received clearance to descend to 4500 ft MSL to maintain VFR. Near intersection, controller advised I was right of the final approach course, turn left 20 degrees. I complied. Received and complied with instruction to turn left a further 10 degrees. Controller called traffic at 5 O'clock position overtaking, do not recall distance but the controller's tone was urgent. Cruising on a final approach course used by transport category aircraft is not a safe situation. I allowed myself to become fixated on following the highway without correlating my actual position with the surrounding airspace. A factor was my lack of familiarity with arriving in the area via this route. The controller's prompt intervention prevented a potential collision hazard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ENTERS APCH CORRIDOR.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM LOCATION 1 TO LOCATION 2, OBSERVED COASTAL STRATUS OBSCURING MY INTENDED RTE OF FLT OVER THE AREA. ELECTED TO DIVERT VIA XXX AND BEGAN NAVING VIA PILOTAGE ALONG THE HWY 101 CORRIDOR. PICKED UP FLT FOLLOWING WITH APCH, RECEIVED HDOF TO CTR, THEN APCH. DID NOT YET HAVE ARPT IN SIGHT, SO TUNED IN VOR AND FOUND MYSELF ON 120 DEG RADIAL WHICH I BEGAN TRACKING INBOUND. REQUESTED FOR AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 4500 FT MSL TO MAINTAIN VFR. NEAR INTXN, CTLR ADVISED I WAS R OF THE FINAL APCH COURSE, TURN L 20 DEGS. I COMPLIED. RECEIVED AND COMPLIED WITH INSTRUCTION TO TURN L A FURTHER 10 DEGS. CTLR CALLED TFC AT 5 O'CLOCK POS OVERTAKING, DO NOT RECALL DISTANCE BUT THE CTLR'S TONE WAS URGENT. CRUISING ON A FINAL APCH COURSE USED BY TRANSPORT CATEGORY ACFT IS NOT A SAFE SIT. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME FIXATED ON FOLLOWING THE HWY WITHOUT CORRELATING MY ACTUAL POS WITH THE SURROUNDING AIRSPACE. A FACTOR WAS MY LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH ARRIVING IN THE AREA VIA THIS RTE. THE CTLR'S PROMPT INTERVENTION PREVENTED A POTENTIAL COLLISION HAZARD.

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.