L39 pilot becomes disoriented in IMC while attempting to adjust the CDI.

Attributes
ACN	582160
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fsm.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 1244 flight time type : 33
ASRS Report	582160
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : person 2
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I asked for the current WX. Controller replied '600 mist' and 3 mi visibility. I stated I'm going to have to get a pop up IFR. Controller asked which approach I planned on. I told the controller VOR for runway 31. He then cleared me direct to the VOR and descend to 4000 ft. I descended to 4000 ft, then was cleared down to 2500 ft. I descended to 2500 ft and flew direct to the VOR. I had set up the VOR frequency and set the outbound course. I called over the VOR and stated I was outbound. The CDI needle was stuck to the right and did not move, I tried left and right turns but to no avail. The gauge was not responding. I told the controller the VOR-CDI was not working on my aircraft and that I needed vectors. While I was twisting knobs trying to correct the problem, I was descending sharply and turning at the same time. My wife stated 'watch your altitude.' the controller told me 'level your wings.' I stated I needed vectors to an airport that was VFR. He told me to turn to 360 degrees and climb to 4000 ft, which would put us back on top VFR. I complied and the controller said tulsa was 40 or 45 NM but was IFR. At this point I told the controller that fuel was starting to be an issue. He told me to contact approach and handed me off. The new controller came back with an airport at 25 mi and a heading of 180 degrees. I said we'd take that and turned to 180 degrees. She then cleared me to 2500 ft and vectored me toward the airport. On short final the red fuel light came on. What did I learn from this? Always plan for the worse case scenario, have plenty of fuel for an alternate airport and the required fuel/time on top of that. Always fly the aircraft first. Get on top VFR, then try to get things sorted out. If we had an autoplt that would have been engaged. Don't try to fix the problems while flying in the soup. I've learned a valuable lesson, and I won't be in this situation again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L39 PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED IN IMC WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST THE CDI.

Narrative: I ASKED FOR THE CURRENT WX. CTLR REPLIED '600 MIST' AND 3 MI VISIBILITY. I STATED I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET A POP UP IFR. CTLR ASKED WHICH APCH I PLANNED ON. I TOLD THE CTLR VOR FOR RWY 31. HE THEN CLRED ME DIRECT TO THE VOR AND DSND TO 4000 FT. I DSNDED TO 4000 FT, THEN WAS CLRED DOWN TO 2500 FT. I DSNDED TO 2500 FT AND FLEW DIRECT TO THE VOR. I HAD SET UP THE VOR FREQ AND SET THE OUTBOUND COURSE. I CALLED OVER THE VOR AND STATED I WAS OUTBOUND. THE CDI NEEDLE WAS STUCK TO THE R AND DID NOT MOVE, I TRIED L AND R TURNS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE GAUGE WAS NOT RESPONDING. I TOLD THE CTLR THE VOR-CDI WAS NOT WORKING ON MY ACFT AND THAT I NEEDED VECTORS. WHILE I WAS TWISTING KNOBS TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROB, I WAS DSNDING SHARPLY AND TURNING AT THE SAME TIME. MY WIFE STATED 'WATCH YOUR ALT.' THE CTLR TOLD ME 'LEVEL YOUR WINGS.' I STATED I NEEDED VECTORS TO AN ARPT THAT WAS VFR. HE TOLD ME TO TURN TO 360 DEGS AND CLB TO 4000 FT, WHICH WOULD PUT US BACK ON TOP VFR. I COMPLIED AND THE CTLR SAID TULSA WAS 40 OR 45 NM BUT WAS IFR. AT THIS POINT I TOLD THE CTLR THAT FUEL WAS STARTING TO BE AN ISSUE. HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT APCH AND HANDED ME OFF. THE NEW CTLR CAME BACK WITH AN ARPT AT 25 MI AND A HEADING OF 180 DEGS. I SAID WE'D TAKE THAT AND TURNED TO 180 DEGS. SHE THEN CLRED ME TO 2500 FT AND VECTORED ME TOWARD THE ARPT. ON SHORT FINAL THE RED FUEL LIGHT CAME ON. WHAT DID I LEARN FROM THIS? ALWAYS PLAN FOR THE WORSE CASE SCENARIO, HAVE PLENTY OF FUEL FOR AN ALTERNATE ARPT AND THE REQUIRED FUEL/TIME ON TOP OF THAT. ALWAYS FLY THE ACFT FIRST. GET ON TOP VFR, THEN TRY TO GET THINGS SORTED OUT. IF WE HAD AN AUTOPLT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENGAGED. DON'T TRY TO FIX THE PROBS WHILE FLYING IN THE SOUP. I'VE LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON, AND I WON'T BE IN THIS SIT AGAIN.

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.