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Pilot of GA aircraft practicing INS approach is blinded and distracted by sunblock running into eyes.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 160533 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199009 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hwv |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing : go around |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 160553 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I am writing so late after occurrence because the event did not strike me as relevant until I read an article about sunscreen problems in the ASRS 'call back.' this approach, a partial panel NDB from the right side, was to be my last review before my INS chkride the following morning. Just before minimums, the sunscreen from the forehead and top of my head ran down into my eyes mixed with sweat, and I was almost blinded. I executed the published missed immediately, focusing all the attention I could outside the cockpit to clear for traffic. In this situation I focused entirely outside and tracked back to the PIC NDB on pilotage alone. Simultaneously I ventilated the cockpit, windows and doors open (you can do that in this small aircraft!) and recovered. I cleaned my face with water from my bottle and commenced the approach again west/O incident. The culprit was brand 'X' sunscreen--a real toxic and irritating blend. I now use brand 'Y,' which I tested in a parked car with the windows closed with no problems at all.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF GA ACFT PRACTICING INS APCH IS BLINDED AND DISTRACTED BY SUNBLOCK RUNNING INTO EYES.
Narrative: I AM WRITING SO LATE AFTER OCCURRENCE BECAUSE THE EVENT DID NOT STRIKE ME AS RELEVANT UNTIL I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT SUNSCREEN PROBS IN THE ASRS 'CALL BACK.' THIS APCH, A PARTIAL PANEL NDB FROM THE RIGHT SIDE, WAS TO BE MY LAST REVIEW BEFORE MY INS CHKRIDE THE FOLLOWING MORNING. JUST BEFORE MINIMUMS, THE SUNSCREEN FROM THE FOREHEAD AND TOP OF MY HEAD RAN DOWN INTO MY EYES MIXED WITH SWEAT, AND I WAS ALMOST BLINDED. I EXECUTED THE PUBLISHED MISSED IMMEDIATELY, FOCUSING ALL THE ATTN I COULD OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT TO CLR FOR TFC. IN THIS SITUATION I FOCUSED ENTIRELY OUTSIDE AND TRACKED BACK TO THE PIC NDB ON PILOTAGE ALONE. SIMULTANEOUSLY I VENTILATED THE COCKPIT, WINDOWS AND DOORS OPEN (YOU CAN DO THAT IN THIS SMA!) AND RECOVERED. I CLEANED MY FACE WITH WATER FROM MY BOTTLE AND COMMENCED THE APCH AGAIN W/O INCIDENT. THE CULPRIT WAS BRAND 'X' SUNSCREEN--A REAL TOXIC AND IRRITATING BLEND. I NOW USE BRAND 'Y,' WHICH I TESTED IN A PARKED CAR WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED WITH NO PROBS AT ALL.
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.