Narrative:

On an ILS approach into fwa, I became disoriented to the point of actually making a 360 degree turn. I was given vectors to the ILS approach more than 10 mi out and my CDI needle was intermittent. I was not sure how far out I was and was 'chasing the needle' apparently more than I should have been. I was depending on the localizer to initiate the turn inbound, which was sporadic, rather than using the VOR and DME to set me up inbound to intercept the localizer. This was my first actual ILS to minimums in IMC conditions. Approach control and control tower insisted on my keeping my speed up as much as possible. This created unnecessary urgency, anxiety, and confusion at 50 percent faster pace. My attitude gyro was indicating 15 degree off, which I did not discover until my heading was 180 degree off. The autoplt which I was using to help reduce the workload was not helpful, but more confusing due to both inaccurate attitude gyro readings, but also my not being able to lock on to the localizer. WX, departing fwa was at time of departure 500' sct, visibility 4 fog and haze 5000' ceiling. Forecast 3000 broken, 8000 broken conditions at time of arrival fwa 300' ceiling, 1 mi fog 29.92 240/6. WX had degenerated, we broke out at 200' AGL. However, the problem that arose was not initially locking on the localizer. The other contributing factors quickly added to the confusion, anxiety, and disorientation. How it was discovered was not being able to detect the proper inbound course. The CDI needle was intermittently going from left to center, back to left, and repeatedly across to right and back left again and again. By trying to follow the CDI indications, I was quickly changing directions and correspondingly quickly losing disorientation. Corrective actions, approach could assist the pilot by providing vectors through the final inbound heading until established on the localizer. I should have used the VOR, DME to assist in locating the final inbound heading until established on the localizer and the FAF. I hence forth will not trust the autoplt to assist in approachs, since it just adds to the confusion and workload when something goes wrong. The attitude indicator being off was found relatively quickly considering the problems; however, it was still a contributing factor even after detection. I might add that in the 2 yrs of this airplane, this is the third attitude gyro (artificial horizon), I have purchased and had installed because of malfunctioning equipment. This is both very exhausting and very expensive. Gyro repair stations so far have not proved effective or ethical. Human performance considerations. I cannot help but feel, now looking back 1 week later, that I performed extremely well considering the second approach went flawless after having been given vectors to the FAF under the pressure of confusion and guilt from what had previously transpired and it being my first actual ILS approach in IMC. However, the horrible feelings and lessons experienced in those few mins will never be forgotten. In retrospect, I should have insisted on vectors until established and not felt intimidated by communicating with ATC. One cannot help but feel that ATC does not have time to help you, and is always out to get you; however, after the fact, I must say that they were very courteous and polite. That must be difficult for them considering the pressure they must be under.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON APCH INTO FWA CHASES LOCALIZER NEEDLE DUE TO ERRATIC INDICATIONS TO THE EXTENT THAT HE ACTUALLY DOES A 360 DEG TURN WHILE TRYING TO INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER AS A RESULT OF HIS DISORIENTATION.

Narrative: ON AN ILS APCH INTO FWA, I BECAME DISORIENTED TO THE POINT OF ACTUALLY MAKING A 360 DEG TURN. I WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE ILS APCH MORE THAN 10 MI OUT AND MY CDI NEEDLE WAS INTERMITTENT. I WAS NOT SURE HOW FAR OUT I WAS AND WAS 'CHASING THE NEEDLE' APPARENTLY MORE THAN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I WAS DEPENDING ON THE LOC TO INITIATE THE TURN INBND, WHICH WAS SPORADIC, RATHER THAN USING THE VOR AND DME TO SET ME UP INBND TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. THIS WAS MY FIRST ACTUAL ILS TO MINIMUMS IN IMC CONDITIONS. APCH CTL AND CTL TWR INSISTED ON MY KEEPING MY SPD UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THIS CREATED UNNECESSARY URGENCY, ANXIETY, AND CONFUSION AT 50 PERCENT FASTER PACE. MY ATTITUDE GYRO WAS INDICATING 15 DEG OFF, WHICH I DID NOT DISCOVER UNTIL MY HDG WAS 180 DEG OFF. THE AUTOPLT WHICH I WAS USING TO HELP REDUCE THE WORKLOAD WAS NOT HELPFUL, BUT MORE CONFUSING DUE TO BOTH INACCURATE ATTITUDE GYRO READINGS, BUT ALSO MY NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCK ON TO THE LOC. WX, DEPARTING FWA WAS AT TIME OF DEP 500' SCT, VIS 4 FOG AND HAZE 5000' CEILING. FORECAST 3000 BKN, 8000 BKN CONDITIONS AT TIME OF ARR FWA 300' CEILING, 1 MI FOG 29.92 240/6. WX HAD DEGENERATED, WE BROKE OUT AT 200' AGL. HOWEVER, THE PROB THAT AROSE WAS NOT INITIALLY LOCKING ON THE LOC. THE OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS QUICKLY ADDED TO THE CONFUSION, ANXIETY, AND DISORIENTATION. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO DETECT THE PROPER INBND COURSE. THE CDI NEEDLE WAS INTERMITTENTLY GOING FROM L TO CTR, BACK TO L, AND REPEATEDLY ACROSS TO R AND BACK L AGAIN AND AGAIN. BY TRYING TO FOLLOW THE CDI INDICATIONS, I WAS QUICKLY CHANGING DIRECTIONS AND CORRESPONDINGLY QUICKLY LOSING DISORIENTATION. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, APCH COULD ASSIST THE PLT BY PROVIDING VECTORS THROUGH THE FINAL INBND HDG UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC. I SHOULD HAVE USED THE VOR, DME TO ASSIST IN LOCATING THE FINAL INBND HDG UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AND THE FAF. I HENCE FORTH WILL NOT TRUST THE AUTOPLT TO ASSIST IN APCHS, SINCE IT JUST ADDS TO THE CONFUSION AND WORKLOAD WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG. THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR BEING OFF WAS FOUND RELATIVELY QUICKLY CONSIDERING THE PROBS; HOWEVER, IT WAS STILL A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR EVEN AFTER DETECTION. I MIGHT ADD THAT IN THE 2 YRS OF THIS AIRPLANE, THIS IS THE THIRD ATTITUDE GYRO (ARTIFICIAL HORIZON), I HAVE PURCHASED AND HAD INSTALLED BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTIONING EQUIP. THIS IS BOTH VERY EXHAUSTING AND VERY EXPENSIVE. GYRO REPAIR STATIONS SO FAR HAVE NOT PROVED EFFECTIVE OR ETHICAL. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS. I CANNOT HELP BUT FEEL, NOW LOOKING BACK 1 WK LATER, THAT I PERFORMED EXTREMELY WELL CONSIDERING THE SEC APCH WENT FLAWLESS AFTER HAVING BEEN GIVEN VECTORS TO THE FAF UNDER THE PRESSURE OF CONFUSION AND GUILT FROM WHAT HAD PREVIOUSLY TRANSPIRED AND IT BEING MY FIRST ACTUAL ILS APCH IN IMC. HOWEVER, THE HORRIBLE FEELINGS AND LESSONS EXPERIENCED IN THOSE FEW MINS WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED ON VECTORS UNTIL ESTABLISHED AND NOT FELT INTIMIDATED BY COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. ONE CANNOT HELP BUT FEEL THAT ATC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO HELP YOU, AND IS ALWAYS OUT TO GET YOU; HOWEVER, AFTER THE FACT, I MUST SAY THAT THEY WERE VERY COURTEOUS AND POLITE. THAT MUST BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM CONSIDERING THE PRESSURE THEY MUST BE UNDER.

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.