Narrative:

Solid IFR all day. Third leg of day. It was what I consider an 'easy IFR trip.' psm was VFR with light rain. Departed teb -- IFR the whole trip. After hfd was turbulent so I was unable to eat my sandwich (lunch) as planned. Landed at psm, took care of business, and proceeded IFR to bed to drop off pilot who delivered other aircraft to psm for me. ILS to 700 ft 2 mi at bed, and it was sloppier than usual. Dropped off passenger and departed IFR for teb. While in a descent from 6000 ft to 4000 ft, I experienced vertigo/spatial disorientation somewhat. When I leveled off at 4000 ft, my body thought I was diving. My instinct would be to pull up, but I recognized what was going on and 'believed my instruments' although I felt very disoriented. After a few mins I felt better and proceeded uneventfully to ILS runway 6 at teb. No altitude or heading incursions because I quickly recognized the problem. I wanted to be anywhere other than in that airplane at that moment. Not a good feeling. I mentioned this after landing to a friend who is also an aviation medical examiner. Told him 4+ hours hand flying solid IFR in turbulence, 3 approachs, etc. Jokingly told him I missed lunch (it's a standard joke that I always eat at noon). He said did you eat or drink anything all day? I said no. He said that 'you were hypoglycemic' and very lucky to recognize and deal with the situation. I always plan ahead -- even had my cooler next to me with lunch -- it was too turbulent to eat. Moral of the story: always eat at noon! I will always take the time to eat something from now on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF THE THIRD INST FLT OF THE DAY, WITH NO CHANCE TO EAT, FINDS HIMSELF EXPERIENCING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. THE CONDITION IS RECOGNIZED AND HE RELIES ON INSTS.

Narrative: SOLID IFR ALL DAY. THIRD LEG OF DAY. IT WAS WHAT I CONSIDER AN 'EASY IFR TRIP.' PSM WAS VFR WITH LIGHT RAIN. DEPARTED TEB -- IFR THE WHOLE TRIP. AFTER HFD WAS TURBULENT SO I WAS UNABLE TO EAT MY SANDWICH (LUNCH) AS PLANNED. LANDED AT PSM, TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS, AND PROCEEDED IFR TO BED TO DROP OFF PLT WHO DELIVERED OTHER ACFT TO PSM FOR ME. ILS TO 700 FT 2 MI AT BED, AND IT WAS SLOPPIER THAN USUAL. DROPPED OFF PAX AND DEPARTED IFR FOR TEB. WHILE IN A DSCNT FROM 6000 FT TO 4000 FT, I EXPERIENCED VERTIGO/SPATIAL DISORIENTATION SOMEWHAT. WHEN I LEVELED OFF AT 4000 FT, MY BODY THOUGHT I WAS DIVING. MY INSTINCT WOULD BE TO PULL UP, BUT I RECOGNIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON AND 'BELIEVED MY INSTS' ALTHOUGH I FELT VERY DISORIENTED. AFTER A FEW MINS I FELT BETTER AND PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY TO ILS RWY 6 AT TEB. NO ALT OR HDG INCURSIONS BECAUSE I QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THE PROB. I WANTED TO BE ANYWHERE OTHER THAN IN THAT AIRPLANE AT THAT MOMENT. NOT A GOOD FEELING. I MENTIONED THIS AFTER LNDG TO A FRIEND WHO IS ALSO AN AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINER. TOLD HIM 4+ HRS HAND FLYING SOLID IFR IN TURB, 3 APCHS, ETC. JOKINGLY TOLD HIM I MISSED LUNCH (IT'S A STANDARD JOKE THAT I ALWAYS EAT AT NOON). HE SAID DID YOU EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING ALL DAY? I SAID NO. HE SAID THAT 'YOU WERE HYPOGLYCEMIC' AND VERY LUCKY TO RECOGNIZE AND DEAL WITH THE SIT. I ALWAYS PLAN AHEAD -- EVEN HAD MY COOLER NEXT TO ME WITH LUNCH -- IT WAS TOO TURBULENT TO EAT. MORAL OF THE STORY: ALWAYS EAT AT NOON! I WILL ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO EAT SOMETHING FROM NOW ON.

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.