Track deviation. Altitude deviation excursion from assigned altitude. Pilot disorientation.

Attributes
ACN	117332
Time
Date	198907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bal
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v166
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 53 flight time total : 289 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	117332
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On an IFR plan mmu, nj to fdk, md clearance assigned V403. Belay V166 thence westminster transition for ILS 23 fdk. 3 situations occurred to mitigate an off altitude error and an off airway error. Convective buildup had begun and on approaching belay intersection the pilot (me) retuned an incorrect 'from' obs '088R' on the #2 navigation. On encountering mod turbulence in 'hard' IMC the entire radio stack blinked off. (Occasionally during the entire flight, radios and transponder would function intermittently.) in a moment of panic, while trying to retune/turn on/correct radio problem, the pilot (me) turned to the heading/course incorrectly set at the head of the obs/CDI indicator. Confusion and disorientation continued (pilot error). In trying to ascertain, correct and further identify other contributing factors, the pilot commenced a left hand turn to a heading of 088 degree and in the process spiraled down 1000' below the assigned altitude of 6000 to 5000'. During all of this, seeming not as in slow motion, the radios began to work again. ATC picked up on all of these errors on next contact. Further, immediately ATC cleared me to 5000' (present incorrect altitude) and advised of apparent heading error. I was advised to correct my errors which I was able to do expeditiously. I am a new, low time instrument pilot. Corrective action could have been further enhanced with vectors to the desired (cleared) heading/course. Further, in retrospect, instrument training should include in-flight clearance changes (out of the ordinary), multiple in-flight 'emergency (non normal)' situations and transitions to alternate fixes from intersection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEVIATION. ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED ALT. PLT DISORIENTATION.

Narrative: ON AN IFR PLAN MMU, NJ TO FDK, MD CLRNC ASSIGNED V403. BELAY V166 THENCE WESTMINSTER TRANSITION FOR ILS 23 FDK. 3 SITUATIONS OCCURRED TO MITIGATE AN OFF ALT ERROR AND AN OFF AIRWAY ERROR. CONVECTIVE BUILDUP HAD BEGUN AND ON APCHING BELAY INTXN THE PLT (ME) RETUNED AN INCORRECT 'FROM' OBS '088R' ON THE #2 NAV. ON ENCOUNTERING MOD TURBULENCE IN 'HARD' IMC THE ENTIRE RADIO STACK BLINKED OFF. (OCCASIONALLY DURING THE ENTIRE FLT, RADIOS AND TRANSPONDER WOULD FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY.) IN A MOMENT OF PANIC, WHILE TRYING TO RETUNE/TURN ON/CORRECT RADIO PROBLEM, THE PLT (ME) TURNED TO THE HDG/COURSE INCORRECTLY SET AT THE HEAD OF THE OBS/CDI INDICATOR. CONFUSION AND DISORIENTATION CONTINUED (PLT ERROR). IN TRYING TO ASCERTAIN, CORRECT AND FURTHER IDENTIFY OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, THE PLT COMMENCED A LEFT HAND TURN TO A HDG OF 088 DEG AND IN THE PROCESS SPIRALED DOWN 1000' BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 6000 TO 5000'. DURING ALL OF THIS, SEEMING NOT AS IN SLOW MOTION, THE RADIOS BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. ATC PICKED UP ON ALL OF THESE ERRORS ON NEXT CONTACT. FURTHER, IMMEDIATELY ATC CLRED ME TO 5000' (PRESENT INCORRECT ALT) AND ADVISED OF APPARENT HDG ERROR. I WAS ADVISED TO CORRECT MY ERRORS WHICH I WAS ABLE TO DO EXPEDITIOUSLY. I AM A NEW, LOW TIME INSTRUMENT PLT. CORRECTIVE ACTION COULD HAVE BEEN FURTHER ENHANCED WITH VECTORS TO THE DESIRED (CLRED) HDG/COURSE. FURTHER, IN RETROSPECT, INSTRUMENT TRAINING SHOULD INCLUDE INFLT CLRNC CHANGES (OUT OF THE ORDINARY), MULTIPLE INFLT 'EMER (NON NORMAL)' SITUATIONS AND TRANSITIONS TO ALTERNATE FIXES FROM INTXN.

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.