Pilot of C182, untrained in the use of the newly installed GPS-communication system on board his fly...

Attributes
ACN	598387
Time
Date	200310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ags.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1447
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fsm.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 18 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 780 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	598387
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

A new GPS/communication unit had been installed in the aircraft (club plane) recently. No training on the unit had been provided, but the club did include the quick instructions in the aircraft. I had flown the plane previously in daylight and had used the new unit for communications without incident and the direct-to feature of the GPS. On my return trip, I tried to use the flight plan feature and apparently transposed letters when I typed in a VOR. I then tried to enter the VOR with a direct-to command in-flight and each time the GPS unit re-transposed the letters. I then cleared the entire flight plan from the GPS and was able to enter the VOR on a direct-to basis. As a result, the approach to the airport was no longer programmed in the unit. When I went to approach the airport I understood that I would be on the VOR 18 approach (I am not sure why I thought this other than that was the page of the approach plates I flipped to after the runway in use changed from runway 36). I was then given the ILS approach. When ATC turned me onto the approach I advised that I was not receiving the ILS properly, that I was showing approximately 190 degrees rather than the 183 degree course to the airport. Approach then turned me over to the tower. I was frantically trying to get the right approach on the GPS as it controled the only ILS CDI in the aircraft. I thought I had it tuned in but then got confused between the vlock and other modes. As a result, needles were all over the place. Eventually, I moved close to the VOR approach course as it was on the #2 CDI (no vertical guidance on this unit). Prior to that, my headings and altitudes were erratic as my attention was diverted from flying the plane and the needles were all over the place. I should have rejected the approach when my initial indications weren't right. I suspect, I was comforted that approach turned me over to the tower -- dumb, dumb, dumb.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C182, UNTRAINED IN THE USE OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED GPS-COM SYS ON BOARD HIS FLYING CLUB ACFT, CHOOSES TO FLY IFR IN IMC AND NARROWLY AVOIDS BECOMING A STATISTIC.

Narrative: A NEW GPS/COM UNIT HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE ACFT (CLUB PLANE) RECENTLY. NO TRAINING ON THE UNIT HAD BEEN PROVIDED, BUT THE CLUB DID INCLUDE THE QUICK INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ACFT. I HAD FLOWN THE PLANE PREVIOUSLY IN DAYLIGHT AND HAD USED THE NEW UNIT FOR COMS WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THE DIRECT-TO FEATURE OF THE GPS. ON MY RETURN TRIP, I TRIED TO USE THE FLT PLAN FEATURE AND APPARENTLY TRANSPOSED LETTERS WHEN I TYPED IN A VOR. I THEN TRIED TO ENTER THE VOR WITH A DIRECT-TO COMMAND INFLT AND EACH TIME THE GPS UNIT RE-TRANSPOSED THE LETTERS. I THEN CLRED THE ENTIRE FLT PLAN FROM THE GPS AND WAS ABLE TO ENTER THE VOR ON A DIRECT-TO BASIS. AS A RESULT, THE APCH TO THE ARPT WAS NO LONGER PROGRAMMED IN THE UNIT. WHEN I WENT TO APCH THE ARPT I UNDERSTOOD THAT I WOULD BE ON THE VOR 18 APCH (I AM NOT SURE WHY I THOUGHT THIS OTHER THAN THAT WAS THE PAGE OF THE APCH PLATES I FLIPPED TO AFTER THE RWY IN USE CHANGED FROM RWY 36). I WAS THEN GIVEN THE ILS APCH. WHEN ATC TURNED ME ONTO THE APCH I ADVISED THAT I WAS NOT RECEIVING THE ILS PROPERLY, THAT I WAS SHOWING APPROX 190 DEGS RATHER THAN THE 183 DEG COURSE TO THE ARPT. APCH THEN TURNED ME OVER TO THE TWR. I WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT APCH ON THE GPS AS IT CTLED THE ONLY ILS CDI IN THE ACFT. I THOUGHT I HAD IT TUNED IN BUT THEN GOT CONFUSED BTWN THE VLOCK AND OTHER MODES. AS A RESULT, NEEDLES WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. EVENTUALLY, I MOVED CLOSE TO THE VOR APCH COURSE AS IT WAS ON THE #2 CDI (NO VERT GUIDANCE ON THIS UNIT). PRIOR TO THAT, MY HDGS AND ALTS WERE ERRATIC AS MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED FROM FLYING THE PLANE AND THE NEEDLES WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. I SHOULD HAVE REJECTED THE APCH WHEN MY INITIAL INDICATIONS WEREN'T RIGHT. I SUSPECT, I WAS COMFORTED THAT APCH TURNED ME OVER TO THE TWR -- DUMB, DUMB, DUMB.

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.

Pilot of C182, untrained in the use of the newly installed GPS-communication system on board his flying club aircraft, chooses to fly IFR in IMC and narrowly avoids becoming a statistic.