A pilot receiving instruction became disoriented; deviated from heading and altitude assignments; an...

Attributes
ACN	839130
Time
Date	200906
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	SCT.TRACON
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 41 Flight Crew Total 516 Flight Crew Type 7.3
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
Miss Distance	Horizontal 1000 Vertical 300

Narrative:

During our initial approach for the VOR approach we were in IMC and my student started deviating off course and off of altitude and was having a hard time correcting. We then got into an unusual attitude and I immediately took the controls and recovered. From then on I was in control of the plane. At the same time socal approach told us the instructor on board needed to fly the airplane. Once I had the controls I had deviated from the heading given and about 300FT off altitude. Socal then offered assistance; which I accepted to help get the flight back on proper course and proper altitude. Since we had missed the vectors for the VOR approach; socal offered vectors for the VOR-a approach to another airport and I accepted. Once vectors were given for that approach; I was able to keep complete control of the airplane and we landed safely at an alternate airport. We stayed on the ground for about 25 minutes; and then took off. I flew the airplane to our home airport airport under VMC. In order to keep a situation like this from happening again I will take the controls from my student as soon as I notice the first sign of a deviation rather than telling him to keep correcting. This will keep the flight on course and under proper control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A pilot receiving instruction became disoriented; deviated from heading and altitude assignments; and entered an unusual attitude. The instructor took over and regained control.

Narrative: During our initial approach for the VOR approach we were in IMC and my student started deviating off course and off of altitude and was having a hard time correcting. We then got into an unusual attitude and I immediately took the controls and recovered. From then on I was in control of the plane. At the same time SoCal approach told us the instructor on board needed to fly the airplane. Once I had the controls I had deviated from the heading given and about 300FT off altitude. SoCal then offered assistance; which I accepted to help get the flight back on proper course and proper altitude. Since we had missed the vectors for the VOR approach; SoCal offered vectors for the VOR-A approach to another airport and I accepted. Once vectors were given for that approach; I was able to keep complete control of the airplane and we landed safely at an alternate airport. We stayed on the ground for about 25 minutes; and then took off. I flew the airplane to our home airport airport under VMC. In order to keep a situation like this from happening again I will take the controls from my student as soon as I notice the first sign of a deviation rather than telling him to keep correcting. This will keep the flight on course and under proper control.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.