Narrative:

After being vectored for ILS approach I was established on localizer. Conditions became IMC in a cloud at night. After over correcting localizer position I notice my airspeed picked up too much and my artificial horizon showing too much bank. I thought the whole time I would correct it after applying full power for climb for VFR on top. I heard my marker beacon 3 times through the struggle. The lady controller told me to do a missed approach and asked if there were any CFI on the frequency. One was and suggested (he) that I look at my turn and bank indicator which did show me more. Then it ended when I was now in VFR conditions over san fernando valley. I then landed at whiteman, my homebase. I talked to the CFI who landed to find me and explained that going in a circle like that was going to get tighter and tighter more commonly known as 'the graveyard spiral'. I guess I did hear the third outer marker beacon sooner than the second. After I landed I was asked to call burbank approach to give an explanation. I told them I found myself in an unusual attitude and was trying to correct it. They (he) explained that if a situation happens and they have to stop and clear all traffic that now I will have to fill out an incident form. I know my aircraft has 'limits' for IFR such as in case of icing or needing to be over 12500 MSL without oxygen and turbo power. I now realize I should not be in IMC at night alone without copilot and even maybe with copilot in IMC at night. My aircraft is not that well equipped. I thought under the hood unusual attitude recovery was an easy maneuver. With my instructor I want to recreate the situation and find out why or how my flight path could stay in an ever tightening circle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ILS APCH, IMC, BECOMES DISORIENTED FLIES IN CIRCLES.

Narrative: AFTER BEING VECTORED FOR ILS APCH I WAS ESTABLISHED ON LOC. CONDITIONS BECAME IMC IN A CLOUD AT NIGHT. AFTER OVER CORRECTING LOC POS I NOTICE MY AIRSPD PICKED UP TOO MUCH AND MY ARTIFICIAL HORIZON SHOWING TOO MUCH BANK. I THOUGHT THE WHOLE TIME I WOULD CORRECT IT AFTER APPLYING FULL PWR FOR CLB FOR VFR ON TOP. I HEARD MY MARKER BEACON 3 TIMES THROUGH THE STRUGGLE. THE LADY CTLR TOLD ME TO DO A MISSED APCH AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY CFI ON THE FREQ. ONE WAS AND SUGGESTED (HE) THAT I LOOK AT MY TURN AND BANK INDICATOR WHICH DID SHOW ME MORE. THEN IT ENDED WHEN I WAS NOW IN VFR CONDITIONS OVER SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. I THEN LANDED AT WHITEMAN, MY HOMEBASE. I TALKED TO THE CFI WHO LANDED TO FIND ME AND EXPLAINED THAT GOING IN A CIRCLE LIKE THAT WAS GOING TO GET TIGHTER AND TIGHTER MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 'THE GRAVEYARD SPIRAL'. I GUESS I DID HEAR THE THIRD OUTER MARKER BEACON SOONER THAN THE SECOND. AFTER I LANDED I WAS ASKED TO CALL BURBANK APCH TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION. I TOLD THEM I FOUND MYSELF IN AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE AND WAS TRYING TO CORRECT IT. THEY (HE) EXPLAINED THAT IF A SITUATION HAPPENS AND THEY HAVE TO STOP AND CLR ALL TFC THAT NOW I WILL HAVE TO FILL OUT AN INCIDENT FORM. I KNOW MY ACFT HAS 'LIMITS' FOR IFR SUCH AS IN CASE OF ICING OR NEEDING TO BE OVER 12500 MSL WITHOUT OXYGEN AND TURBO PWR. I NOW REALIZE I SHOULD NOT BE IN IMC AT NIGHT ALONE WITHOUT COPLT AND EVEN MAYBE WITH COPLT IN IMC AT NIGHT. MY ACFT IS NOT THAT WELL EQUIPPED. I THOUGHT UNDER THE HOOD UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY WAS AN EASY MANEUVER. WITH MY INSTRUCTOR I WANT TO RECREATE THE SITUATION AND FIND OUT WHY OR HOW MY FLT PATH COULD STAY IN AN EVER TIGHTENING CIRCLE.

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.