Narrative:

Departing macon (mcn), GA on an IFR flight plan for fulton cty airport (fty), atlanta, GA, I entered an incorrect radial (320 degree instead of 340 degree, the appropriate course) in my #1 navigation radio. My clearance specified 'left to 320 degree, join vector 323, climb and maintain 5000', husky intersection, direct fulton cty.' this navigation error resulted in my tracking to the west of V323, the proper course. (See chart.) what happened was that I entered the initial vector heading (320 degree) in the #1 navigation which was set to the mcn VOR, and left it there west/O changing to 340 degree, the magnetic course outbnd from mcn VOR to the northwest. Between smarr and naliz intxns, macon departure control advised me I was 4 mi west of centerline (V323). They suggested a heading of 360 degree to rejoin the airway. I immediately complied with the request and was back on the airway prior to husky intersection, the usual point where such an IFR flight is handed off to atlanta approach control. Since I was instructed to 'resume own navigation' within min after departure, I realize I am responsible totally for the above described situation. However, I would like to describe from a 'human factor' viewpoint why I think this event happened and (most importantly) what I can do to prevent its recurrence. 1) complacency, 2) misuse of omni bearing (course) selector (obs) on VOR. In particular, complacency. Prior to departing en route, I requested and received clearance to conduct an ILS 5 approach at macon. The approach proceeded very well. Upon declaring my missed approach, pulling up, and turning to 320 degree as previously instructed by approach control, I relaxed at the thought of having completed such a low approach in IFR conditions, but I relaxed too much. I have found from past experience that I have a 'we're on the approach and the chips are down' attitude, implying that anything else in IFR flight is a piece of cake. Misuse of obs selector of VOR receiver. Whenever I fly a radar vectored ILS approach, I dial in the assigned vector heading in the obs (as a reminder) since this component of the radio has no actual function on an ILS. This technique is widely used and was taught to me during my instrument training. But I now question its wisdom. 'Force of habit' can have negative connotations. Once I turned in mcn VOR, I dialed the initial heading of 320 degree (as I had been doing on the ILS approach). Instead, I should have immediately entered the outbnd airway course (340 degree) and just memorized or written down the 320 degree initial heading. This incident has made me strongly consider the use of the obs on an ILS approach as I have described. (A heading 'bug' on the dg would have been useful, but the aircraft flown has no autoplt.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA DEVIATION FROM CLRNC ROUTE FOLLOWING A PRACTICE ILS APCH TO MCN.

Narrative: DEPARTING MACON (MCN), GA ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FOR FULTON CTY ARPT (FTY), ATLANTA, GA, I ENTERED AN INCORRECT RADIAL (320 DEG INSTEAD OF 340 DEG, THE APPROPRIATE COURSE) IN MY #1 NAV RADIO. MY CLRNC SPECIFIED 'LEFT TO 320 DEG, JOIN VECTOR 323, CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000', HUSKY INTXN, DIRECT FULTON CTY.' THIS NAV ERROR RESULTED IN MY TRACKING TO THE W OF V323, THE PROPER COURSE. (SEE CHART.) WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT I ENTERED THE INITIAL VECTOR HDG (320 DEG) IN THE #1 NAV WHICH WAS SET TO THE MCN VOR, AND LEFT IT THERE W/O CHANGING TO 340 DEG, THE MAGNETIC COURSE OUTBND FROM MCN VOR TO THE NW. BTWN SMARR AND NALIZ INTXNS, MACON DEP CTL ADVISED ME I WAS 4 MI W OF CENTERLINE (V323). THEY SUGGESTED A HDG OF 360 DEG TO REJOIN THE AIRWAY. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH THE REQUEST AND WAS BACK ON THE AIRWAY PRIOR TO HUSKY INTXN, THE USUAL POINT WHERE SUCH AN IFR FLT IS HANDED OFF TO ATLANTA APCH CTL. SINCE I WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'RESUME OWN NAV' WITHIN MIN AFTER DEP, I REALIZE I AM RESPONSIBLE TOTALLY FOR THE ABOVE DESCRIBED SITUATION. HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO DESCRIBE FROM A 'HUMAN FACTOR' VIEWPOINT WHY I THINK THIS EVENT HAPPENED AND (MOST IMPORTANTLY) WHAT I CAN DO TO PREVENT ITS RECURRENCE. 1) COMPLACENCY, 2) MISUSE OF OMNI BEARING (COURSE) SELECTOR (OBS) ON VOR. IN PARTICULAR, COMPLACENCY. PRIOR TO DEPARTING ENRTE, I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO CONDUCT AN ILS 5 APCH AT MACON. THE APCH PROCEEDED VERY WELL. UPON DECLARING MY MISSED APCH, PULLING UP, AND TURNING TO 320 DEG AS PREVIOUSLY INSTRUCTED BY APCH CTL, I RELAXED AT THE THOUGHT OF HAVING COMPLETED SUCH A LOW APCH IN IFR CONDITIONS, BUT I RELAXED TOO MUCH. I HAVE FOUND FROM PAST EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE A 'WE'RE ON THE APCH AND THE CHIPS ARE DOWN' ATTITUDE, IMPLYING THAT ANYTHING ELSE IN IFR FLT IS A PIECE OF CAKE. MISUSE OF OBS SELECTOR OF VOR RECEIVER. WHENEVER I FLY A RADAR VECTORED ILS APCH, I DIAL IN THE ASSIGNED VECTOR HDG IN THE OBS (AS A REMINDER) SINCE THIS COMPONENT OF THE RADIO HAS NO ACTUAL FUNCTION ON AN ILS. THIS TECHNIQUE IS WIDELY USED AND WAS TAUGHT TO ME DURING MY INSTRUMENT TRNING. BUT I NOW QUESTION ITS WISDOM. 'FORCE OF HABIT' CAN HAVE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS. ONCE I TURNED IN MCN VOR, I DIALED THE INITIAL HDG OF 320 DEG (AS I HAD BEEN DOING ON THE ILS APCH). INSTEAD, I SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED THE OUTBND AIRWAY COURSE (340 DEG) AND JUST MEMORIZED OR WRITTEN DOWN THE 320 DEG INITIAL HDG. THIS INCIDENT HAS MADE ME STRONGLY CONSIDER THE USE OF THE OBS ON AN ILS APCH AS I HAVE DESCRIBED. (A HDG 'BUG' ON THE DG WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL, BUT THE ACFT FLOWN HAS NO AUTOPLT.)

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.