Narrative:

Was on a planned VFR flight to riverside airport in tulsa. Unpredicted clouds formed within 15 mi of destination. I requested IFR approach, which was granted. I reached for approach book located in back seat while still above clouds in good VFR on top. As I grabbed the book, I lost hold and tore the plate needed. Instead of canceling, I proceeded with approach. I asked for verification of ILS frequency as that area of page was barely readable, either through incorrect writing of frequency or incorrect given dialed in wrong ILS frequency causing missed intercept still VFR. Once frequency was corrected, began approach again. Intercept was made but poorly flown on my part. No OM was received and was within 2 mi of airport when became disoriented. I immediately began to climb and called the miss. Was given climb on course to 2500 ft which was still in clouds. Requested 2700 ft, which would put me on top. Approach was unable to give 2700 ft so gave 2500 ft and course of 270 degrees. While turning to 270 degrees, directional gyro precessed and I took heading of 285 degrees (compass) while showing 270 degrees on directional gyro. Conditions were lowering, both aircraft in front and behind reported marker OTS. I then requested climb to VFR and took VFR following to okmulgee, which was 1800-2000 ft broken with 15 mi visibility. In retrospect, since flight was planned VFR and flown VFR, should have diverted to okmulgee instead of requesting approach. My multiple errors in procedure were blatantly poor flying which could have had disastrous results. Considerations: poor planning in cockpit arrangement resulting in only partially usable approach plate, poor judgement in attempting approach, poor plting due to above.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT IN SMA GETS DISORIENTED DURING ILS APCH ATTEMPT.

Narrative: WAS ON A PLANNED VFR FLT TO RIVERSIDE ARPT IN TULSA. UNPREDICTED CLOUDS FORMED WITHIN 15 MI OF DEST. I REQUESTED IFR APCH, WHICH WAS GRANTED. I REACHED FOR APCH BOOK LOCATED IN BACK SEAT WHILE STILL ABOVE CLOUDS IN GOOD VFR ON TOP. AS I GRABBED THE BOOK, I LOST HOLD AND TORE THE PLATE NEEDED. INSTEAD OF CANCELING, I PROCEEDED WITH APCH. I ASKED FOR VERIFICATION OF ILS FREQ AS THAT AREA OF PAGE WAS BARELY READABLE, EITHER THROUGH INCORRECT WRITING OF FREQ OR INCORRECT GIVEN DIALED IN WRONG ILS FREQ CAUSING MISSED INTERCEPT STILL VFR. ONCE FREQ WAS CORRECTED, BEGAN APCH AGAIN. INTERCEPT WAS MADE BUT POORLY FLOWN ON MY PART. NO OM WAS RECEIVED AND WAS WITHIN 2 MI OF ARPT WHEN BECAME DISORIENTED. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO CLB AND CALLED THE MISS. WAS GIVEN CLB ON COURSE TO 2500 FT WHICH WAS STILL IN CLOUDS. REQUESTED 2700 FT, WHICH WOULD PUT ME ON TOP. APCH WAS UNABLE TO GIVE 2700 FT SO GAVE 2500 FT AND COURSE OF 270 DEGS. WHILE TURNING TO 270 DEGS, DIRECTIONAL GYRO PRECESSED AND I TOOK HDG OF 285 DEGS (COMPASS) WHILE SHOWING 270 DEGS ON DIRECTIONAL GYRO. CONDITIONS WERE LOWERING, BOTH ACFT IN FRONT AND BEHIND RPTED MARKER OTS. I THEN REQUESTED CLB TO VFR AND TOOK VFR FOLLOWING TO OKMULGEE, WHICH WAS 1800-2000 FT BROKEN WITH 15 MI VISIBILITY. IN RETROSPECT, SINCE FLT WAS PLANNED VFR AND FLOWN VFR, SHOULD HAVE DIVERTED TO OKMULGEE INSTEAD OF REQUESTING APCH. MY MULTIPLE ERRORS IN PROC WERE BLATANTLY POOR FLYING WHICH COULD HAVE HAD DISASTROUS RESULTS. CONSIDERATIONS: POOR PLANNING IN COCKPIT ARRANGEMENT RESULTING IN ONLY PARTIALLY USABLE APCH PLATE, POOR JUDGEMENT IN ATTEMPTING APCH, POOR PLTING DUE TO ABOVE.

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.