Pilot of an small aircraft sel cpr aircraft experienced spatial disorientation during required turns...

Attributes
ACN	256377
Time
Date	199311
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	256377
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff on runway 17, tower gave me instructions to turn right to heading 330 degrees, to keep me north of the localizer of runway 27. I began the turn with visual reference to the ground at a higher than normal rate of turn. About 1/2 way through the turn, I entered the clouds and began flying on instruments. Just as I came to heading 330 degrees, the tower cleared me direct to the mxe VOR so I immediately rolled from a right turn to a left turn to heading 290 degrees. The tower told me to contact departure control. I diverted my attention from the instruments momentarily to change the radio frequency. I called departure and they cleared me to the mxe VOR and to climb to 5000 ft. As I looked back to the instruments the plane was banked to the left 15-20 degrees. I rolled back to the right for correction but the plane rolled too far so I banked back to the left. I began to over control the airplane and to 'chase the instruments.' I banked the plane 3 or 4 times and each time I over controled. I thought that my instruments might be malfunctioning and I realized that I was becoming disoriented so I decided to use the recovery from unusual attitudes technique I learned in training. I centered the slip-skid ball with rudders and stopped the turning with ailerons, referencing the turn indicator. The plane stabilized and I regained my orientation. The plane was off course and ATC gave me vectors to get back on course. The rest of the flight was normal and all instruments worked normally. The disorientation was caused by the faster than normal turn on takeoff, the transition from visual to instrument reference, multiple turns in IMC, and momentary diversion from the instruments, all in a short period of time. Pilots should have extra vigilance with unusual or non-routine maneuvers under IMC. Also, training and practice were essential to recognize the problem and execute a proper recovery, since the problem occurred unexpectedly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL CPR ACFT EXPERIENCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION DURING REQUIRED TURNS AFTER TKOF RESULTING IN A DEV FROM ASSIGNED HDG.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF ON RWY 17, TWR GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN R TO HDG 330 DEGS, TO KEEP ME N OF THE LOC OF RWY 27. I BEGAN THE TURN WITH VISUAL REF TO THE GND AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE OF TURN. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TURN, I ENTERED THE CLOUDS AND BEGAN FLYING ON INSTS. JUST AS I CAME TO HDG 330 DEGS, THE TWR CLRED ME DIRECT TO THE MXE VOR SO I IMMEDIATELY ROLLED FROM A R TURN TO A L TURN TO HDG 290 DEGS. THE TWR TOLD ME TO CONTACT DEP CTL. I DIVERTED MY ATTN FROM THE INSTS MOMENTARILY TO CHANGE THE RADIO FREQ. I CALLED DEP AND THEY CLRED ME TO THE MXE VOR AND TO CLB TO 5000 FT. AS I LOOKED BACK TO THE INSTS THE PLANE WAS BANKED TO THE L 15-20 DEGS. I ROLLED BACK TO THE R FOR CORRECTION BUT THE PLANE ROLLED TOO FAR SO I BANKED BACK TO THE L. I BEGAN TO OVER CTL THE AIRPLANE AND TO 'CHASE THE INSTS.' I BANKED THE PLANE 3 OR 4 TIMES AND EACH TIME I OVER CTLED. I THOUGHT THAT MY INSTS MIGHT BE MALFUNCTIONING AND I REALIZED THAT I WAS BECOMING DISORIENTED SO I DECIDED TO USE THE RECOVERY FROM UNUSUAL ATTITUDES TECHNIQUE I LEARNED IN TRAINING. I CTRED THE SLIP-SKID BALL WITH RUDDERS AND STOPPED THE TURNING WITH AILERONS, REFING THE TURN INDICATOR. THE PLANE STABILIZED AND I REGAINED MY ORIENTATION. THE PLANE WAS OFF COURSE AND ATC GAVE ME VECTORS TO GET BACK ON COURSE. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL AND ALL INSTS WORKED NORMALLY. THE DISORIENTATION WAS CAUSED BY THE FASTER THAN NORMAL TURN ON TKOF, THE TRANSITION FROM VISUAL TO INST REF, MULTIPLE TURNS IN IMC, AND MOMENTARY DIVERSION FROM THE INSTS, ALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. PLTS SHOULD HAVE EXTRA VIGILANCE WITH UNUSUAL OR NON-ROUTINE MANEUVERS UNDER IMC. ALSO, TRAINING AND PRACTICE WERE ESSENTIAL TO RECOGNIZE THE PROB AND EXECUTE A PROPER RECOVERY, SINCE THE PROB OCCURRED UNEXPECTEDLY.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft sel cpr aircraft experienced spatial disorientation during required turns after takeoff resulting in a deviation from assigned heading.