A C172 instructor pilot and student while IMC suffer from spatial disorientation and turn the wrong ...

Attributes
ACN	515158
Time
Date	200106
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bjc.vor
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon tower : pvd.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : v81.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Make Model Name	British Aerospace Undifferentiated or Other Model
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 168 flight time total : 592 flight time type : 308
ASRS Report	515158
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My instrument student and I were transitioning over the bjc VOR in IMC intercepting V81 to brk, 9000 ft climbing 11000 ft. We inadvertently continued our turn towards a northeast heading instead of 147 degrees on V81. Being in actual conditions for the first time I lost spatial orientation and thought we needed the reciprocal heading. As I realized the error, ZDV stated 'ok, I'm confused. What is your heading? Make an immediate right turn to 210 degrees.' we made the turn and reintercepted V81 with no further problems. ATC also advised us that they 'had to dive a bac jet out there, be careful, you could get into big, big trouble.' factors contributing to the error were the cockpit workload of my student questioning and my spatial disorientation in IMC. We had 4000+ ft altitude below clouds in VFR and I felt comfortable with my decision at the time to proceed into IMC. However, I have now re-evaluated my minimums. To prevent future problems, I have committed myself to be 'more' current than required by FARS and I will gain more experience in IMC with another more experienced cfii before flying PIC in those conditions. I will require that my students remain quiet of multiple questions if I lose orientation until regained -- having them assist with only pertinent information at the time. I have already started review with another cfii to gain a greater understanding. I've already gained information regarding incorrect IFR filing practices. I learned through my instrument rating to file IFR under my name (student at the time) and I did not realize up until now that the flight plan under IFR must be in an instrument rated, current pilot and/or current cfii. My student filed this IFR plan under his name. I will file them from this point on. This was my first student filing IFR and a lesson I won't forget. I also question why ATC allowed us to continue in a turn to a situation where they had to 'dive' another aircraft. I understand my actions were incorrect but the situation (ATC) recognizing my turn seems a little late.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 INSTRUCTOR PLT AND STUDENT WHILE IMC SUFFER FROM SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND TURN THE WRONG WAY FOR AN AIRWAY INTERCEPT AND EXPERIENCE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT S OF BJC, CO.

Narrative: MY INST STUDENT AND I WERE TRANSITIONING OVER THE BJC VOR IN IMC INTERCEPTING V81 TO BRK, 9000 FT CLBING 11000 FT. WE INADVERTENTLY CONTINUED OUR TURN TOWARDS A NE HDG INSTEAD OF 147 DEGS ON V81. BEING IN ACTUAL CONDITIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME I LOST SPATIAL ORIENTATION AND THOUGHT WE NEEDED THE RECIPROCAL HDG. AS I REALIZED THE ERROR, ZDV STATED 'OK, I'M CONFUSED. WHAT IS YOUR HDG? MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO 210 DEGS.' WE MADE THE TURN AND REINTERCEPTED V81 WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. ATC ALSO ADVISED US THAT THEY 'HAD TO DIVE A BAC JET OUT THERE, BE CAREFUL, YOU COULD GET INTO BIG, BIG TROUBLE.' FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ERROR WERE THE COCKPIT WORKLOAD OF MY STUDENT QUESTIONING AND MY SPATIAL DISORIENTATION IN IMC. WE HAD 4000+ FT ALT BELOW CLOUDS IN VFR AND I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH MY DECISION AT THE TIME TO PROCEED INTO IMC. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOW RE-EVALUATED MY MINIMUMS. TO PREVENT FUTURE PROBS, I HAVE COMMITTED MYSELF TO BE 'MORE' CURRENT THAN REQUIRED BY FARS AND I WILL GAIN MORE EXPERIENCE IN IMC WITH ANOTHER MORE EXPERIENCED CFII BEFORE FLYING PIC IN THOSE CONDITIONS. I WILL REQUIRE THAT MY STUDENTS REMAIN QUIET OF MULTIPLE QUESTIONS IF I LOSE ORIENTATION UNTIL REGAINED -- HAVING THEM ASSIST WITH ONLY PERTINENT INFO AT THE TIME. I HAVE ALREADY STARTED REVIEW WITH ANOTHER CFII TO GAIN A GREATER UNDERSTANDING. I'VE ALREADY GAINED INFO REGARDING INCORRECT IFR FILING PRACTICES. I LEARNED THROUGH MY INST RATING TO FILE IFR UNDER MY NAME (STUDENT AT THE TIME) AND I DID NOT REALIZE UP UNTIL NOW THAT THE FLT PLAN UNDER IFR MUST BE IN AN INST RATED, CURRENT PLT AND/OR CURRENT CFII. MY STUDENT FILED THIS IFR PLAN UNDER HIS NAME. I WILL FILE THEM FROM THIS POINT ON. THIS WAS MY FIRST STUDENT FILING IFR AND A LESSON I WON'T FORGET. I ALSO QUESTION WHY ATC ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE IN A TURN TO A SIT WHERE THEY HAD TO 'DIVE' ANOTHER ACFT. I UNDERSTAND MY ACTIONS WERE INCORRECT BUT THE SIT (ATC) RECOGNIZING MY TURN SEEMS A LITTLE LATE.

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.

A C172 instructor pilot and student while IMC suffer from spatial disorientation and turn the wrong way for an airway intercept and experience a potential conflict with another aircraft south of bjc, co.