Given a three sixty degree turn by coast approach, a training small aircraft in IMC loses 400'.

Attributes
ACN	141219
Time
Date	199003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2600 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 760 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	141219
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My student and I were on an instrument flight to long beach from burbank. The student was working on his instrument flight instructor rating. We were on an airway direct seal beach. Then we were given a vector to the localizer, where we were cleared for an ILS approach and given an altitude of 3000 ft. We received the localizer and proceeded inbound as requested when we received a false reading and a complete needle deflection. Then the controller asked if we were nwbnd, reply 'affirmative'. We have received the localizer but now have a false indication. We have localizer problems. The controller then told us make a right 360 degree turn. In the confusion my student asked 'what was the problem?' while working with radios I noticed my student's error in altitude. I then took action and recovered the altitude loss of 400 ft. The controller asked us about our altitude loss, our reply was 'we are working to get it back.' I also told him we still had localizer problems. He asked are you VFR? Our reply negative. We then received a descent to 1600 ft where we maintained VFR. The controller then gave us vectors to the final approach, and cleared us for a visual approach. Upon reaching a short final segment we obtained an accurate localizer reading for the first time. I feel this was not a mistake of a careless pilot. Both instrument pilots aboard agreed to turn inbound on what we thought was the localizer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GIVEN A THREE SIXTY DEGREE TURN BY COAST APCH, A TRAINING SMA IN IMC LOSES 400'.

Narrative: MY STUDENT AND I WERE ON AN INSTRUMENT FLT TO LONG BEACH FROM BURBANK. THE STUDENT WAS WORKING ON HIS INSTRUMENT FLT INSTRUCTOR RATING. WE WERE ON AN AIRWAY DIRECT SEAL BEACH. THEN WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR TO THE LOCALIZER, WHERE WE WERE CLRED FOR AN ILS APCH AND GIVEN AN ALT OF 3000 FT. WE RECEIVED THE LOCALIZER AND PROCEEDED INBND AS REQUESTED WHEN WE RECEIVED A FALSE READING AND A COMPLETE NEEDLE DEFLECTION. THEN THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE NWBND, REPLY 'AFFIRMATIVE'. WE HAVE RECEIVED THE LOCALIZER BUT NOW HAVE A FALSE INDICATION. WE HAVE LOCALIZER PROBLEMS. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US MAKE A RIGHT 360 DEG TURN. IN THE CONFUSION MY STUDENT ASKED 'WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM?' WHILE WORKING WITH RADIOS I NOTICED MY STUDENT'S ERROR IN ALT. I THEN TOOK ACTION AND RECOVERED THE ALT LOSS OF 400 FT. THE CTLR ASKED US ABOUT OUR ALT LOSS, OUR REPLY WAS 'WE ARE WORKING TO GET IT BACK.' I ALSO TOLD HIM WE STILL HAD LOCALIZER PROBLEMS. HE ASKED ARE YOU VFR? OUR REPLY NEGATIVE. WE THEN RECEIVED A DSCNT TO 1600 FT WHERE WE MAINTAINED VFR. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US VECTORS TO THE FINAL APCH, AND CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. UPON REACHING A SHORT FINAL SEGMENT WE OBTAINED AN ACCURATE LOCALIZER READING FOR THE FIRST TIME. I FEEL THIS WAS NOT A MISTAKE OF A CARELESS PLT. BOTH INSTRUMENT PLTS ABOARD AGREED TO TURN INBND ON WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE LOCALIZER.

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.