Narrative:

Working with ZAU while in IMC; I was proceeding direct to bradford VOR (bdf) from the mapps intersection when I was given a new clearance to proceed direct to my destination washington municipal (awg). I was attempting to enter that new waypoint into the GPS (apollo GX50; IFR certified) and was having difficulty getting the GPS to accept awg. Being distraction for those few seconds (estimate about 8 seconds); I entered an unusual attitude of about 50 degrees right bank. While trying to recover to level flight; I got off course about 120 degrees to the right and lost about 500 ft altitude. When I did achieve level flight; I was disoriented enough so that I didn't immediately correct my heading to the general direction I knew my destination was before I received a call from center asking me to state my heading. Since I wasn't certain what my heading was yet; I requested an initial heading to turn to and was told to turn left to a heading of 240 degrees which I was able to accomplish. No further assistance was requested nor was it required as I had determined about 1/2 min later my problem was caused by trying to enter agw instead of awg. Upon entering the correct waypoint; I determined a further heading correction to 270 degrees was required. With the correct heading; I proceeded to my destination with no further problem. I was well within the weight and balance requirements being at 2812 pounds (138 pounds under gross) and 118 inch/pounds (/1000) moment. Contributing factors: the airplane was flying with the right wing heavy with nearly full fuel tanks and a heavy passenger in the right seat and some heavy cargo loaded on the right side of the baggage compartment. At the time of upset I was in solid IMC with moderate turbulence. Single pilot with no autoplt in IMC momentarily distraction by difficulty of entering new data into the GPS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PILOT LOSES CONTROL IN IMC WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENTER WRONG VOR IDENTIFIER IN GPS.

Narrative: WORKING WITH ZAU WHILE IN IMC; I WAS PROCEEDING DIRECT TO BRADFORD VOR (BDF) FROM THE MAPPS INTXN WHEN I WAS GIVEN A NEW CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT TO MY DEST WASHINGTON MUNICIPAL (AWG). I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THAT NEW WAYPOINT INTO THE GPS (APOLLO GX50; IFR CERTIFIED) AND WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THE GPS TO ACCEPT AWG. BEING DISTR FOR THOSE FEW SECONDS (ESTIMATE ABOUT 8 SECONDS); I ENTERED AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 DEGS R BANK. WHILE TRYING TO RECOVER TO LEVEL FLT; I GOT OFF COURSE ABOUT 120 DEGS TO THE R AND LOST ABOUT 500 FT ALT. WHEN I DID ACHIEVE LEVEL FLT; I WAS DISORIENTED ENOUGH SO THAT I DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY CORRECT MY HDG TO THE GENERAL DIRECTION I KNEW MY DEST WAS BEFORE I RECEIVED A CALL FROM CTR ASKING ME TO STATE MY HDG. SINCE I WASN'T CERTAIN WHAT MY HDG WAS YET; I REQUESTED AN INITIAL HDG TO TURN TO AND WAS TOLD TO TURN L TO A HDG OF 240 DEGS WHICH I WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS REQUESTED NOR WAS IT REQUIRED AS I HAD DETERMINED ABOUT 1/2 MIN LATER MY PROB WAS CAUSED BY TRYING TO ENTER AGW INSTEAD OF AWG. UPON ENTERING THE CORRECT WAYPOINT; I DETERMINED A FURTHER HDG CORRECTION TO 270 DEGS WAS REQUIRED. WITH THE CORRECT HDG; I PROCEEDED TO MY DEST WITH NO FURTHER PROB. I WAS WELL WITHIN THE WT AND BAL REQUIREMENTS BEING AT 2812 LBS (138 LBS UNDER GROSS) AND 118 INCH/LBS (/1000) MOMENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING WITH THE R WING HVY WITH NEARLY FULL FUEL TANKS AND A HVY PAX IN THE R SEAT AND SOME HVY CARGO LOADED ON THE R SIDE OF THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. AT THE TIME OF UPSET I WAS IN SOLID IMC WITH MODERATE TURB. SINGLE PLT WITH NO AUTOPLT IN IMC MOMENTARILY DISTR BY DIFFICULTY OF ENTERING NEW DATA INTO THE GPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.