Narrative:

Departed manassas, va (W10) to hgr. Uneventful until 2 mi from hgr. Pilot misread direction from VOR while recapturing inbound radial and proceeded outbnd heading east versus assigned procedure of making procedure turn to the west. Error discovered about 1 min later. Aircraft about 2-3 mi east of hgr VOR. Pilot reversed course (approach/center noticed correction) and made procedure turn as indicated. 066 degree inbound track was not clearly established due to wind drift when VOR was passed. The descent was made at normal gear and airspeed through cloud layer. Pilot reported 'VOR inbound' to approach and executed time, throttle and talk. Approach time was extended from 3:32 to 4:00 due to slow gndspd. VFR chart showed progress across railroad tracks and highway. Tower called and asked if runway was in sight. Answer negative. Altitude remained steady at 1000' MSL. At 4 mins, pilot declared missed approach and executed climbing left turn back to hgr. Only then was the proper inbound radial of 091 degrees not 066 degrees noticed. The proper turn of aircraft and tune of VOR was not physically done even though 'time, turn, throttle, tune and talk' went through my head at VOR passage. Approach control asked if my VOR was set to 066 degrees. Affirmative reply. The mixture of hazy VFR and IFR and stronger than expected wind got the pilot behind 6.6 hours of simulated instruments and 7 approachs logged during previous 3 1/2 months. First mistake of this kind in 10 yrs of IFR flying. Since controller caught initial error in proceeding eastbound when beginning, he/she might have noticed a 25 degree error earlier and still didn't know what went wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FLEW WRONG VOR RADIAL ON IAP VOR APCH TO HGR.

Narrative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

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.