Narrative:

Panel mounted GPS had failed. Was returning from tmb to hwo having left filed unit at avionics repair shop. Departed runway 9L and proceeded wnw after left turnout. Climbed to 1300 ft and remained at 1300 ft. After proceeding approximately 6 mi, turned nnw and copied hwo ATIS. LORAN unit set to hwo. Contacted hwo tower and was told to contact when 2 mi out for runway 9R. Turned east when LORAN indicated hwo at 91 degrees. Immediately saw airport with 2 parallel runways, ew, and was puzzled at size. Double-checking LORAN, it still indicated hwo due east. Rechked chart, looking for other landmarks. Noticed skyline to the right of airport and immediately began turn to north and advised hwo tower that 'I don't like where I am, I think my navigation's wrong!' asked if they had me on radar. Hwo asked for identify and I complied. Moments later, they asked for identify again and I confirmed that I had pressed identify. The tower indicated I was 3 mi west of mia and advised turn to north, which I had already done. I proceeded northwest at 1300 ft to clear the B airspace. I then found landmarks and proceeded to land safely at hwo. As I approached hwo, LORAN indicated hwo at 135 degrees -- even though I was directly due west of hwo. I cycled the LORAN and noticed that the LORAN then read hwo due east. Other factors: 1) 15 KT surface winds and mostly clear skies made the ride at 1300 ft bumpy -- light turbulence. 2) high density training and traffic area just west of pbi. Mia line requires vigilant scanning which detracted from navigation. 3) short flight and 'familiarity' with area caused lack of attention to navigation. 4) 1-2 min delay believing my eyes (mia very big) and discarding the faulty LORAN.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20P PLT DEPARTS TMB VFR ENRTE TO HWO, BECOMES DISORIENTED, RELYING ON MALFUNCTIONING LORAN, PENETRATES THE MIA CLASS B PRIOR TO OBTAINING REORIENTATION FROM HWO TWR.

Narrative: PANEL MOUNTED GPS HAD FAILED. WAS RETURNING FROM TMB TO HWO HAVING L FILED UNIT AT AVIONICS REPAIR SHOP. DEPARTED RWY 9L AND PROCEEDED WNW AFTER L TURNOUT. CLBED TO 1300 FT AND REMAINED AT 1300 FT. AFTER PROCEEDING APPROX 6 MI, TURNED NNW AND COPIED HWO ATIS. LORAN UNIT SET TO HWO. CONTACTED HWO TWR AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT WHEN 2 MI OUT FOR RWY 9R. TURNED E WHEN LORAN INDICATED HWO AT 91 DEGS. IMMEDIATELY SAW ARPT WITH 2 PARALLEL RWYS, EW, AND WAS PUZZLED AT SIZE. DOUBLE-CHKING LORAN, IT STILL INDICATED HWO DUE E. RECHKED CHART, LOOKING FOR OTHER LANDMARKS. NOTICED SKYLINE TO THE R OF ARPT AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TURN TO N AND ADVISED HWO TWR THAT 'I DON'T LIKE WHERE I AM, I THINK MY NAV'S WRONG!' ASKED IF THEY HAD ME ON RADAR. HWO ASKED FOR IDENT AND I COMPLIED. MOMENTS LATER, THEY ASKED FOR IDENT AGAIN AND I CONFIRMED THAT I HAD PRESSED IDENT. THE TWR INDICATED I WAS 3 MI W OF MIA AND ADVISED TURN TO N, WHICH I HAD ALREADY DONE. I PROCEEDED NW AT 1300 FT TO CLR THE B AIRSPACE. I THEN FOUND LANDMARKS AND PROCEEDED TO LAND SAFELY AT HWO. AS I APCHED HWO, LORAN INDICATED HWO AT 135 DEGS -- EVEN THOUGH I WAS DIRECTLY DUE W OF HWO. I CYCLED THE LORAN AND NOTICED THAT THE LORAN THEN READ HWO DUE E. OTHER FACTORS: 1) 15 KT SURFACE WINDS AND MOSTLY CLR SKIES MADE THE RIDE AT 1300 FT BUMPY -- LIGHT TURB. 2) HIGH DENSITY TRAINING AND TFC AREA JUST W OF PBI. MIA LINE REQUIRES VIGILANT SCANNING WHICH DETRACTED FROM NAV. 3) SHORT FLT AND 'FAMILIARITY' WITH AREA CAUSED LACK OF ATTN TO NAV. 4) 1-2 MIN DELAY BELIEVING MY EYES (MIA VERY BIG) AND DISCARDING THE FAULTY LORAN.

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.