Narrative:

Upon clearance out of the TRSA, I resumed my own navigation, which was to fly direct to the woodside VOR on the 320 degree right. From the woodside VOR, I was going to fly the osi, 356 degree right direct to san carlos. Upon reaching the woodside VOR, I contacted san carlos tower and received clearance into the sql air traffic area. However, instead of flying my plan, osi, 356 degree right to sql, I decided to fly the ADF direct to san carlos, using knbr, 690. I glanced at my san francisco TCA, chart to confirm the frequency. What I read, however, in the amber light of a jostling aircraft at night, was the height of knbr's towers at 560', rather than the frequency of 680. The two being almost side by side on the chart. I thus dialed in 560 as the frequency for knbr, and flew the hdf needle on a heading of 330 degree, outbnd from the woodside VOR. I have idented three basic, but crucial errors. Any one of which had I idented and prevented, would have obviated the incident. First, and the most important, I allowed myself to become over confident in my knowledge of the area and its navigational aids. By being over confident I did not take the necessary precautions when deviating from a prescribed flight plan. Second; though I planned my flight, I did not fly my plan. Third; I did not identify the navigation aid prior to relying on it for navigation purposes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT USED BROADCAST STATION AS ADF NAV AID. DID NOT ID THE STATION. PENETRATED THE TCA.

Narrative: UPON CLRNC OUT OF THE TRSA, I RESUMED MY OWN NAV, WHICH WAS TO FLY DIRECT TO THE WOODSIDE VOR ON THE 320 DEG R. FROM THE WOODSIDE VOR, I WAS GOING TO FLY THE OSI, 356 DEG R DIRECT TO SAN CARLOS. UPON REACHING THE WOODSIDE VOR, I CONTACTED SAN CARLOS TWR AND RECEIVED CLRNC INTO THE SQL ATA. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF FLYING MY PLAN, OSI, 356 DEG R TO SQL, I DECIDED TO FLY THE ADF DIRECT TO SAN CARLOS, USING KNBR, 690. I GLANCED AT MY SAN FRANCISCO TCA, CHART TO CONFIRM THE FREQ. WHAT I READ, HOWEVER, IN THE AMBER LIGHT OF A JOSTLING ACFT AT NIGHT, WAS THE HEIGHT OF KNBR'S TWRS AT 560', RATHER THAN THE FREQ OF 680. THE TWO BEING ALMOST SIDE BY SIDE ON THE CHART. I THUS DIALED IN 560 AS THE FREQ FOR KNBR, AND FLEW THE HDF NEEDLE ON A HDG OF 330 DEG, OUTBND FROM THE WOODSIDE VOR. I HAVE IDENTED THREE BASIC, BUT CRUCIAL ERRORS. ANY ONE OF WHICH HAD I IDENTED AND PREVENTED, WOULD HAVE OBVIATED THE INCIDENT. FIRST, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT, I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME OVER CONFIDENT IN MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA AND ITS NAVIGATIONAL AIDS. BY BEING OVER CONFIDENT I DID NOT TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS WHEN DEVIATING FROM A PRESCRIBED FLT PLAN. SECOND; THOUGH I PLANNED MY FLT, I DID NOT FLY MY PLAN. THIRD; I DID NOT IDENT THE NAV AID PRIOR TO RELYING ON IT FOR NAV PURPOSES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.