Narrative:

This problem developed while flying the VOR runway 9 approach in heavy WX associated with tropical storm front. Although heavy rain was showing on ATC's radar, there was no indication of convective activity, and while surface winds were gusting to 25 KTS, the ceiling was adequate and the approach seemed manageable. On the procedure turn inbound, strong winds aloft blew us through the 066 degree course line back to the VOR (inbound on the 246 degree radial) and onto the unprotected side of the approach -- even before the procedure turn could be completed. While correcting back to the 246 degree radial, with an additional cut to the right for an intercept, we hit a pretty good bump. This knocked out of position the friction-held after market sun visor on the copilot side, annoying the passenger in the right seat. I reached over and lifted the visor back into place. It was, however, perhaps the final distraction in a chain of events that nearly doomed the flight. For by now I had become disoriented both as to altitude (descending below the 2400 ft MDA for that segment) and heading (continuing the right turn far beyond the intercept angle required for return to the 246 degree radial). I had gone as low as 2000 ft before realizing that I had either forgotten the correct altitude or lost track of it, in an area where the terrain reached to 1900 ft on the protected side of the approach and 2100 ft on the unprotected side. It took help from ATC, for which I am grateful, to restore my orientation and salvage the approach. Since I was current on instruments with numerous recent actual approachs, I simply cannot say why this one turned out to be more than I was able to handle. It may be, however, that most of my recent experience was in terminal areas with 'vectors to final' and thus inadequate preparation -- in spite of my confidence level -- to do this one 'on my own' with the crosswind and turbulence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY M20J ACFT. RPTR PLT BECAME DISORIENTED DUE TO STRONG WINDS, WX AND DISTR WHILE ON VOR APCH. APCH CTLR AIDED PLT TO BECOME REORIENTED AND COMPLETE THE APCH.

Narrative: THIS PROB DEVELOPED WHILE FLYING THE VOR RWY 9 APCH IN HVY WX ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM FRONT. ALTHOUGH HVY RAIN WAS SHOWING ON ATC'S RADAR, THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY, AND WHILE SURFACE WINDS WERE GUSTING TO 25 KTS, THE CEILING WAS ADEQUATE AND THE APCH SEEMED MANAGEABLE. ON THE PROC TURN INBOUND, STRONG WINDS ALOFT BLEW US THROUGH THE 066 DEG COURSE LINE BACK TO THE VOR (INBOUND ON THE 246 DEG RADIAL) AND ONTO THE UNPROTECTED SIDE OF THE APCH -- EVEN BEFORE THE PROC TURN COULD BE COMPLETED. WHILE CORRECTING BACK TO THE 246 DEG RADIAL, WITH AN ADDITIONAL CUT TO THE R FOR AN INTERCEPT, WE HIT A PRETTY GOOD BUMP. THIS KNOCKED OUT OF POS THE FRICTION-HELD AFTER MARKET SUN VISOR ON THE COPLT SIDE, ANNOYING THE PAX IN THE R SEAT. I REACHED OVER AND LIFTED THE VISOR BACK INTO PLACE. IT WAS, HOWEVER, PERHAPS THE FINAL DISTR IN A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT NEARLY DOOMED THE FLT. FOR BY NOW I HAD BECOME DISORIENTED BOTH AS TO ALT (DSNDING BELOW THE 2400 FT MDA FOR THAT SEGMENT) AND HDG (CONTINUING THE R TURN FAR BEYOND THE INTERCEPT ANGLE REQUIRED FOR RETURN TO THE 246 DEG RADIAL). I HAD GONE AS LOW AS 2000 FT BEFORE REALIZING THAT I HAD EITHER FORGOTTEN THE CORRECT ALT OR LOST TRACK OF IT, IN AN AREA WHERE THE TERRAIN REACHED TO 1900 FT ON THE PROTECTED SIDE OF THE APCH AND 2100 FT ON THE UNPROTECTED SIDE. IT TOOK HELP FROM ATC, FOR WHICH I AM GRATEFUL, TO RESTORE MY ORIENTATION AND SALVAGE THE APCH. SINCE I WAS CURRENT ON INSTS WITH NUMEROUS RECENT ACTUAL APCHS, I SIMPLY CANNOT SAY WHY THIS ONE TURNED OUT TO BE MORE THAN I WAS ABLE TO HANDLE. IT MAY BE, HOWEVER, THAT MOST OF MY RECENT EXPERIENCE WAS IN TERMINAL AREAS WITH 'VECTORS TO FINAL' AND THUS INADEQUATE PREPARATION -- IN SPITE OF MY CONFIDENCE LEVEL -- TO DO THIS ONE 'ON MY OWN' WITH THE XWIND AND TURB.

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.