Narrative:

I was being radar vectors by N90 to teb. I was maintaining 1500 ft; visibility was good; clouds were probably scattered at around 4000 ft. Approach was giving me several headings; but I don't know if that was to avoid traffic or because of an inability on my part to maintain heading. I was told to maintain heading and intercept the localizer at teb. I'm not sure how far out I was from the localizer at the time this instruction was given. Inadvertently at this point I switched over to the tower frequency. I contacted the tower; I don't think they called back immediately. I was focusing on the localizer; but since the WX was VFR I was also looking outside my airplane for traffic conflicts. In a short period I realized that I could see a large airport ahead and that I must have flown through the localizer. I immediately contacted the tower; they told me to turn (I think 360 degrees; but it may have been some other heading) and once again intercept the localizer. Again I flew through it. Finally I could see the airport; was directed to land on runway 6. The next day I went to my plane to get some information; charts; etc; because I knew I wanted to file this report. I rechked the frequencys and avionics. I had the ILS tuned correctly and the other radios as well. But I have a sandel SN3308 HSI navigational display. The display was spinning like a top. I am thankful that this happened in VFR conditions. I probably should have realized that something was wrong and simply asked for visual directions to teb. What could be done different? I'm not sure of everything yet. It occurs to me that I had a second HSI with glideslope capability. Certainly I could have used it to land and to maintain directional control with once I realized I had a problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT OF C210 EXPERIENCES TRACK DISORIENTATION ON IFR ARR TO TEB. MALFUNCTIONING NAV EQUIP MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED.

Narrative: I WAS BEING RADAR VECTORS BY N90 TO TEB. I WAS MAINTAINING 1500 FT; VISIBILITY WAS GOOD; CLOUDS WERE PROBABLY SCATTERED AT AROUND 4000 FT. APCH WAS GIVING ME SEVERAL HDGS; BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS TO AVOID TFC OR BECAUSE OF AN INABILITY ON MY PART TO MAINTAIN HDG. I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN HDG AND INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER AT TEB. I'M NOT SURE HOW FAR OUT I WAS FROM THE LOCALIZER AT THE TIME THIS INSTRUCTION WAS GIVEN. INADVERTENTLY AT THIS POINT I SWITCHED OVER TO THE TWR FREQ. I CONTACTED THE TWR; I DON'T THINK THEY CALLED BACK IMMEDIATELY. I WAS FOCUSING ON THE LOCALIZER; BUT SINCE THE WX WAS VFR I WAS ALSO LOOKING OUTSIDE MY AIRPLANE FOR TFC CONFLICTS. IN A SHORT PERIOD I REALIZED THAT I COULD SEE A LARGE ARPT AHEAD AND THAT I MUST HAVE FLOWN THROUGH THE LOCALIZER. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE TWR; THEY TOLD ME TO TURN (I THINK 360 DEGS; BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN SOME OTHER HDG) AND ONCE AGAIN INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER. AGAIN I FLEW THROUGH IT. FINALLY I COULD SEE THE AIRPORT; WAS DIRECTED TO LAND ON RWY 6. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO MY PLANE TO GET SOME INFO; CHARTS; ETC; BECAUSE I KNEW I WANTED TO FILE THIS RPT. I RECHKED THE FREQS AND AVIONICS. I HAD THE ILS TUNED CORRECTLY AND THE OTHER RADIOS AS WELL. BUT I HAVE A SANDEL SN3308 HSI NAVIGATIONAL DISPLAY. THE DISPLAY WAS SPINNING LIKE A TOP. I AM THANKFUL THAT THIS HAPPENED IN VFR CONDITIONS. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND SIMPLY ASKED FOR VISUAL DIRECTIONS TO TEB. WHAT COULD BE DONE DIFFERENT? I'M NOT SURE OF EVERYTHING YET. IT OCCURS TO ME THAT I HAD A SECOND HSI WITH GLIDESLOPE CAPABILITY. CERTAINLY I COULD HAVE USED IT TO LAND AND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL WITH ONCE I REALIZED I HAD A PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.