GA small aircraft on a training flight IMC track heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	166416
Time
Date	199012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eug
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eug tracon : mfe
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	166416
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During an instrument instruction flight in an small aircraft, the student changed heading from 315 degree to 020 degree while IMC. It was the students first flight for the student in IMC. We were assigned a heading of 315 degree and we were in a descent from 5000' and about 4200' I noticed the student was in a standard rate turn going to about 360 degree. We were on radar vectors at the time downwind for an ILS approach. Highest terrain 3200'. I elected to talk the student through the error instead of taking control of the airplane. We finally stopped the turn at about 020 degree during which time ATC radar told us to turn left to 290 degree immediately climb and maintain 4500'. I was discussing position awareness with the DME VOR and ADF. I did not keep my scan active during the discussion which contributed to the heading change. As I noticed the heading change I instructed the student to begin a left turn after leveling the wings. I felt comfortable with the terrain clearance at the time that the student who had become mildly disoriented gained control of the airplane. We had started corrective action before ATC gave new instructions. Corrective action more diligent scan during the instruction phase. Human performance could be to take control of the airplane but there were no airplanes close and terrain sep was good. Perhaps in the future if said situation occurs will take immediate corrective action to go back to heading as instructor when do we need to take control 50'? 5 degree heading? Student spatially disoriented lost G/south?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ON A TRAINING FLT IMC TRACK HEADING DEVIATION.

Narrative: DURING AN INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION FLT IN AN SMA, THE STUDENT CHANGED HDG FROM 315 DEG TO 020 DEG WHILE IMC. IT WAS THE STUDENTS FIRST FLT FOR THE STUDENT IN IMC. WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG OF 315 DEG AND WE WERE IN A DSNT FROM 5000' AND ABOUT 4200' I NOTICED THE STUDENT WAS IN A STANDARD RATE TURN GOING TO ABOUT 360 DEG. WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS AT THE TIME DOWNWIND FOR AN ILS APCH. HIGHEST TERRAIN 3200'. I ELECTED TO TALK THE STUDENT THROUGH THE ERROR INSTEAD OF TAKING CTL OF THE AIRPLANE. WE FINALLY STOPPED THE TURN AT ABOUT 020 DEG DURING WHICH TIME ATC RADAR TOLD US TO TURN L TO 290 DEG IMMEDIATELY CLB AND MAINTAIN 4500'. I WAS DISCUSSING POS AWARENESS WITH THE DME VOR AND ADF. I DID NOT KEEP MY SCAN ACTIVE DURING THE DISCUSSION WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE HDG CHANGE. AS I NOTICED THE HDG CHANGE I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO BEGIN A L TURN AFTER LEVELING THE WINGS. I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE TERRAIN CLRNC AT THE TIME THAT THE STUDENT WHO HAD BECOME MILDLY DISORIENTED GAINED CTL OF THE AIRPLANE. WE HAD STARTED CORRECTIVE ACTION BEFORE ATC GAVE NEW INSTRUCTIONS. CORRECTIVE ACTION MORE DILIGENT SCAN DURING THE INSTRUCTION PHASE. HUMAN PERFORMANCE COULD BE TO TAKE CTL OF THE AIRPLANE BUT THERE WERE NO AIRPLANES CLOSE AND TERRAIN SEP WAS GOOD. PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE IF SAID SITUATION OCCURS WILL TAKE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO GO BACK TO HDG AS INSTRUCTOR WHEN DO WE NEED TO TAKE CTL 50'? 5 DEG HDG? STUDENT SPATIALLY DISORIENTED LOST G/S?

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.