Narrative:

Upon approaching bhm on sat/dec/93 in IMC/IFR, I was vectored by bhm approach for the ILS-runway 05. The controller admittedly turned me and cleared me for the approach right on the NDB as my marker beacon became active and my GS needle started down. In an attempt to establish on the localizer and capture the GS I became somewhat spatially disoriented and experienced vertigo allowing a wing to drop and lost altitude. In so doing I totally lost the localizer and found myself below GS during this time the controller requested that I increase ground speed due to a large carrier behind me. In the process of this confusion and vertigo I realized I needed to miss the approach and proceeded to do so but soon realized I was not following the correct procedure. Upon recovering my composure, attitude and altitude, I accepted a new vector and altitude from another very calm and helpful controller and went around for another approach. I missed the second approach also due to being above the GS and I think still somewhat nervous. The controller then vectored me out about 10 mi and talked me calmly back in, however, at one time I think I descended below the assigned altitude and GS. I completed this approach and landed without complications. The controller requested that I call the supervisor when I got into the FBO at which time he informed me of the correct procedure and the need for several aircraft to divert. I realize this situation could have caused a serious problem. I think it could have been prevented by: a more careful and thorough pre-planning of the unfamiliar approach chart. Synchronizing my gyros ahead of time as they were off. Listening to ATIS early so I could be set up and ready at bhm. Abandoning the approach earlier on and requesting vectors sooner. More careful scan of instruments and position awareness. More experience before attempting unfamiliar approachs to minimums (6 month instrument pilot - less than 10 hours actual IMC I feel fortunate that this situation did not cause a serious problem and that I learned and gained experience from it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT INST PLT MAKES 3 APCHS AND 2 MISSED APCHS IN IMC DUE TO PLT EXPERIENCE LEVEL AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

Narrative: UPON APCHING BHM ON SAT/DEC/93 IN IMC/IFR, I WAS VECTORED BY BHM APCH FOR THE ILS-RWY 05. THE CTLR ADMITTEDLY TURNED ME AND CLRED ME FOR THE APCH RIGHT ON THE NDB AS MY MARKER BEACON BECAME ACTIVE AND MY GS NEEDLE STARTED DOWN. IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH ON THE LOC AND CAPTURE THE GS I BECAME SOMEWHAT SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND EXPERIENCED VERTIGO ALLOWING A WING TO DROP AND LOST ALT. IN SO DOING I TOTALLY LOST THE LOC AND FOUND MYSELF BELOW GS DURING THIS TIME THE CTLR REQUESTED THAT I INCREASE GND SPD DUE TO A LARGE CARRIER BEHIND ME. IN THE PROCESS OF THIS CONFUSION AND VERTIGO I REALIZED I NEEDED TO MISS THE APCH AND PROCEEDED TO DO SO BUT SOON REALIZED I WAS NOT FOLLOWING THE CORRECT PROC. UPON RECOVERING MY COMPOSURE, ATTITUDE AND ALT, I ACCEPTED A NEW VECTOR AND ALT FROM ANOTHER VERY CALM AND HELPFUL CTLR AND WENT AROUND FOR ANOTHER APCH. I MISSED THE SECOND APCH ALSO DUE TO BEING ABOVE THE GS AND I THINK STILL SOMEWHAT NERVOUS. THE CTLR THEN VECTORED ME OUT ABOUT 10 MI AND TALKED ME CALMLY BACK IN, HOWEVER, AT ONE TIME I THINK I DSNDED BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT AND GS. I COMPLETED THIS APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS. THE CTLR REQUESTED THAT I CALL THE SUPVR WHEN I GOT INTO THE FBO AT WHICH TIME HE INFORMED ME OF THE CORRECT PROC AND THE NEED FOR SEVERAL ACFT TO DIVERT. I REALIZE THIS SIT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS PROB. I THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY: A MORE CAREFUL AND THOROUGH PRE-PLANNING OF THE UNFAMILIAR APCH CHART. SYNCHRONIZING MY GYROS AHEAD OF TIME AS THEY WERE OFF. LISTENING TO ATIS EARLY SO I COULD BE SET UP AND READY AT BHM. ABANDONING THE APCH EARLIER ON AND REQUESTING VECTORS SOONER. MORE CAREFUL SCAN OF INSTS AND POS AWARENESS. MORE EXPERIENCE BEFORE ATTEMPTING UNFAMILIAR APCHS TO MINIMUMS (6 MONTH INST PLT - LESS THAN 10 HRS ACTUAL IMC I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT THIS SIT DID NOT CAUSE A SERIOUS PROB AND THAT I LEARNED AND GAINED EXPERIENCE FROM IT.

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.