Narrative:

The purpose of the flight was to gain solo actual IFR experience. This was my very first solo IFR flight in actual conditions. I was just as nervous as my first solo flight as a primary student. I requested and received an IFR clearance from lgb to lgb. I intended to perform one ILS approach to culminate in a full stop landing. This was ultimately the case. The following is an account of what happened. After receiving my final vector (330 degrees); instructions for the runway 30 approach and a handoff to lgb tower I flew through the final approach course; according to the tower controller; by approximately 1 mi. The tower controller advised me at about 1/2 mi past the localizer of the situation and it was at about a mi before the aircraft was heading 180 degrees after a left turn; at the request of the tower. I did not promptly 'go missed' as I had not been established; and to my knowledge this all happened outside the 'marker.' once aware of the situation and after a brief talk with the tower it was agreed this was the best course of action. The actual tower instructions were 'maintain 1600 ft turn left heading 180 degrees.' the tower 'beat me' by about 2 seconds meaning I was just getting ready to tell them I thought something was wrong; as I had flown this approach many times. What I thought was wrong was; it seemed like; it was taking too long for the localizer needle to 'come alive;' be established; etc. After about a min on the 180 degree heading I was handed back to the approach controller. After being with approach (socal) for less than 30 seconds I discovered the problem. The aircraft has a panel mounted GPS as well as the 'traditional' navigation equipment (VOR/ILS) receivers. The button/switch was positioned to GPS. After mentioning this to several pilot friends; all either commercially or ATP rated; virtually all admitted to having done it; once. They all related that is a 'gotcha' button and you will probably never do it again. What they meant was the experience as a result of the switch mis-position should serve as a healthy reminder.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PRACTICING AN ACTUAL IFR APCH AT LGB FLEW THROUGH THE LOC BECAUSE HE HAD THE NAV PANEL SET TO GPS INSTEAD OF VOR-ILS.

Narrative: THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO GAIN SOLO ACTUAL IFR EXPERIENCE. THIS WAS MY VERY FIRST SOLO IFR FLT IN ACTUAL CONDITIONS. I WAS JUST AS NERVOUS AS MY FIRST SOLO FLT AS A PRIMARY STUDENT. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC FROM LGB TO LGB. I INTENDED TO PERFORM ONE ILS APCH TO CULMINATE IN A FULL STOP LNDG. THIS WAS ULTIMATELY THE CASE. THE FOLLOWING IS AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED. AFTER RECEIVING MY FINAL VECTOR (330 DEGS); INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RWY 30 APCH AND A HDOF TO LGB TWR I FLEW THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE; ACCORDING TO THE TWR CTLR; BY APPROX 1 MI. THE TWR CTLR ADVISED ME AT ABOUT 1/2 MI PAST THE LOC OF THE SITUATION AND IT WAS AT ABOUT A MI BEFORE THE ACFT WAS HDG 180 DEGS AFTER A L TURN; AT THE REQUEST OF THE TWR. I DID NOT PROMPTLY 'GO MISSED' AS I HAD NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED; AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE THIS ALL HAPPENED OUTSIDE THE 'MARKER.' ONCE AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND AFTER A BRIEF TALK WITH THE TWR IT WAS AGREED THIS WAS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. THE ACTUAL TWR INSTRUCTIONS WERE 'MAINTAIN 1600 FT TURN L HDG 180 DEGS.' THE TWR 'BEAT ME' BY ABOUT 2 SECONDS MEANING I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO TELL THEM I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG; AS I HAD FLOWN THIS APCH MANY TIMES. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS WRONG WAS; IT SEEMED LIKE; IT WAS TAKING TOO LONG FOR THE LOC NEEDLE TO 'COME ALIVE;' BE ESTABLISHED; ETC. AFTER ABOUT A MIN ON THE 180 DEG HDG I WAS HANDED BACK TO THE APCH CTLR. AFTER BEING WITH APCH (SOCAL) FOR LESS THAN 30 SECONDS I DISCOVERED THE PROB. THE ACFT HAS A PANEL MOUNTED GPS AS WELL AS THE 'TRADITIONAL' NAV EQUIP (VOR/ILS) RECEIVERS. THE BUTTON/SWITCH WAS POSITIONED TO GPS. AFTER MENTIONING THIS TO SEVERAL PLT FRIENDS; ALL EITHER COMMERCIALLY OR ATP RATED; VIRTUALLY ALL ADMITTED TO HAVING DONE IT; ONCE. THEY ALL RELATED THAT IS A 'GOTCHA' BUTTON AND YOU WILL PROBABLY NEVER DO IT AGAIN. WHAT THEY MEANT WAS THE EXPERIENCE AS A RESULT OF THE SWITCH MIS-POS SHOULD SERVE AS A HEALTHY REMINDER.

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.