Single pilot IFR in small transport twin, low on fuel. Unable perform back course ILS finally obtain...

Attributes
ACN	143042
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sle
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sle tower : sle
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 2250 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	143042
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I asked for help as a stranger to the area and locale, a B/C ILS was the approach called for by ATC. I asked for vectors and monitoring as was new area and reasonably new airplane to me (last 120 days). On final was told on course but both ILS indicators showed almost full deflection so abandoned approach. Told both center and approach also low fuel situation. At start of approach about 40 min per fuel gauges and totalizer. Vectors or whatever after approach sent me to west and a large hole was there so I went VFR as I wanted independence airport anyway. In the valley mountains obscured passes so I went back up through hole to on top and asked for another approach to salem. Again approach said I must go 10 mi south to get a front course ILS to get below clouds. By now time was being used up and I asked to go straight to airport direct as the fuel indicators are showing less and less time. Who wants to believe them anyhow in this type of situation. I was asked to go back up to 4000' and go south to intercept F/C ILS. Although minimum vectoring altitude was 3200' and I was 3500'. Gear down, flaps down, low climb situation. I asked for direct to airport and finally received vector to airport area and was VFR but I was completely disoriented by this time but tower had me in sight on downwind for runway 16, no further problem. Someone on radio made several nasty remarks and was no help to safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT IFR IN SMT TWIN, LOW ON FUEL. UNABLE PERFORM BACK COURSE ILS FINALLY OBTAINED VECTORS TOWARD ARPT. LET DOWN ON HIS OWN UNTIL GND CONTACT AND TWR MADE VISUAL CONTACT ON DOWNWIND.

Narrative: I ASKED FOR HELP AS A STRANGER TO THE AREA AND LOCALE, A B/C ILS WAS THE APCH CALLED FOR BY ATC. I ASKED FOR VECTORS AND MONITORING AS WAS NEW AREA AND REASONABLY NEW AIRPLANE TO ME (LAST 120 DAYS). ON FINAL WAS TOLD ON COURSE BUT BOTH ILS INDICATORS SHOWED ALMOST FULL DEFLECTION SO ABANDONED APCH. TOLD BOTH CTR AND APCH ALSO LOW FUEL SITUATION. AT START OF APCH ABOUT 40 MIN PER FUEL GAUGES AND TOTALIZER. VECTORS OR WHATEVER AFTER APCH SENT ME TO W AND A LARGE HOLE WAS THERE SO I WENT VFR AS I WANTED INDEPENDENCE ARPT ANYWAY. IN THE VALLEY MOUNTAINS OBSCURED PASSES SO I WENT BACK UP THROUGH HOLE TO ON TOP AND ASKED FOR ANOTHER APCH TO SALEM. AGAIN APCH SAID I MUST GO 10 MI S TO GET A FRONT COURSE ILS TO GET BELOW CLOUDS. BY NOW TIME WAS BEING USED UP AND I ASKED TO GO STRAIGHT TO ARPT DIRECT AS THE FUEL INDICATORS ARE SHOWING LESS AND LESS TIME. WHO WANTS TO BELIEVE THEM ANYHOW IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. I WAS ASKED TO GO BACK UP TO 4000' AND GO S TO INTERCEPT F/C ILS. ALTHOUGH MINIMUM VECTORING ALT WAS 3200' AND I WAS 3500'. GEAR DOWN, FLAPS DOWN, LOW CLB SITUATION. I ASKED FOR DIRECT TO ARPT AND FINALLY RECEIVED VECTOR TO ARPT AREA AND WAS VFR BUT I WAS COMPLETELY DISORIENTED BY THIS TIME BUT TWR HAD ME IN SIGHT ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16, NO FURTHER PROB. SOMEONE ON RADIO MADE SEVERAL NASTY REMARKS AND WAS NO HELP TO SAFETY.

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

Single pilot IFR in small transport twin, low on fuel. Unable perform back course ILS finally obtained vectors toward airport. Let down on his own until ground contact and tower made visual contact on downwind.