A low time private pilot became disoriented in WX.

Attributes
ACN	260078
Time
Date	199312
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hyk airport : lex
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lex
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 265 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	260078
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed D98 at XA34Z on IFR flight plan to tys at 11000 ft. Started picking up moderate rime ice 12 NM north of lex. Copilot and I decided to turn back because of fast accumulation on outside air temperature probe, windshield, and wings. Advised ZID of our situation and chose lex. Received radar vectors to ILS 22 and south turns to lose altitude. At this time I became disoriented and had to concentrate on keeping wings level. ATC cleared me for the approach, maintain 3200 MSL and intercept the localizer. At localizer intercept, I began chasing needle and didn't study the approach plate, descended to 2500 ft MSL and had visual contact with the ground. My copilot and ATC advised me of my altitude and, as I began climbing back to 3200 ft, I intercepted the GS and competed the approach to a landing. Factors affecting the quality of human performance are: being in a situation I have never experienced before, having ice on windshield, propeller, and wings, being worried about getting out of the ice. Being unfamiliar with the approach caused me to be distracted from getting the aircraft set up for normal approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME PVT PLT BECAME DISORIENTED IN WX.

Narrative: DEPARTED D98 AT XA34Z ON IFR FLT PLAN TO TYS AT 11000 FT. STARTED PICKING UP MODERATE RIME ICE 12 NM N OF LEX. COPLT AND I DECIDED TO TURN BACK BECAUSE OF FAST ACCUMULATION ON OUTSIDE AIR TEMP PROBE, WINDSHIELD, AND WINGS. ADVISED ZID OF OUR SIT AND CHOSE LEX. RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TO ILS 22 AND S TURNS TO LOSE ALT. AT THIS TIME I BECAME DISORIENTED AND HAD TO CONCENTRATE ON KEEPING WINGS LEVEL. ATC CLRED ME FOR THE APCH, MAINTAIN 3200 MSL AND INTERCEPT THE LOC. AT LOC INTERCEPT, I BEGAN CHASING NEEDLE AND DIDN'T STUDY THE APCH PLATE, DSNDED TO 2500 FT MSL AND HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND. MY COPLT AND ATC ADVISED ME OF MY ALT AND, AS I BEGAN CLBING BACK TO 3200 FT, I INTERCEPTED THE GS AND COMPETED THE APCH TO A LNDG. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE ARE: BEING IN A SIT I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE, HAVING ICE ON WINDSHIELD, PROP, AND WINGS, BEING WORRIED ABOUT GETTING OUT OF THE ICE. BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE APCH CAUSED ME TO BE DISTRACTED FROM GETTING THE ACFT SET UP FOR NORMAL APCH.

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.