AC114 pilot arriving for approach encountered WX and lightning which contributed to becoming disorie...

Attributes
ACN	387048
Time
Date	199711
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : syr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commander Prop Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 1503 flight time type : 1415
ASRS Report	387048
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I did not expect to be turned to intercept the localizer so soon. I did have the NDB tuned in, had ATIS information, and the approach plate all set, but overload factors were building: 1) I was rattled by the flight conditions of lightning, heavy rain, sleet, and turbulence. 2) the plane was still at cruise of 140 KTS and needed to be slowed to 90 KTS. The airspeed indicator read 160 KTS which suggested that I had picked up icing (possibly sleet) in the pitot tube. Pitot heat was on. 3) I started to slow the plane down after I was turned to '330 degrees and cleared for the ILS runway 28 approach.' 4) I switched the VOR frequency from syr VOR 117.0 to the ILS runway 28 frequency of 109.9, idented it, switched RNAV off, and twisted in the ILS inbound heading of 279 degrees. 5) I intercepted the localizer almost immediately with the gear still up and the plane slowing down to the approach speed of 90 KTS. 6) I slightly overshot the intercept to the localizer before turning and tracking inbound. 7) the wind was about 220 degrees at 33 KTS. That added to my higher than normal ground speed moving me past the intercept intersection to the localizer. 8) I did not pick up the DME off of the ILS localizer. I, therefore, did not have DME distance information to the airport or the OM kirki. 9) while I was about 15+ mi from the airport, I was positionally disoriented by my 20 degree turn to the left to avoid lightning, demands of flying in bad WX, rapid fire action items preparing for the approach, loss of DME information. I was confused enough to think I was possibly inside the OM and had to follow the GS down below 1800 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AC114 PLT ARRIVING FOR APCH ENCOUNTERED WX AND LIGHTNING WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO BECOMING DISORIENTED. RPTR BECAME CONFUSED WHEN COMMENCING THE APCH AND DSNDED BELOW THE GS WHEN APCH CTLR ALERTED HIM OF ALT.

Narrative: I DID NOT EXPECT TO BE TURNED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC SO SOON. I DID HAVE THE NDB TUNED IN, HAD ATIS INFO, AND THE APCH PLATE ALL SET, BUT OVERLOAD FACTORS WERE BUILDING: 1) I WAS RATTLED BY THE FLT CONDITIONS OF LIGHTNING, HVY RAIN, SLEET, AND TURB. 2) THE PLANE WAS STILL AT CRUISE OF 140 KTS AND NEEDED TO BE SLOWED TO 90 KTS. THE AIRSPD INDICATOR READ 160 KTS WHICH SUGGESTED THAT I HAD PICKED UP ICING (POSSIBLY SLEET) IN THE PITOT TUBE. PITOT HEAT WAS ON. 3) I STARTED TO SLOW THE PLANE DOWN AFTER I WAS TURNED TO '330 DEGS AND CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 28 APCH.' 4) I SWITCHED THE VOR FREQ FROM SYR VOR 117.0 TO THE ILS RWY 28 FREQ OF 109.9, IDENTED IT, SWITCHED RNAV OFF, AND TWISTED IN THE ILS INBOUND HDG OF 279 DEGS. 5) I INTERCEPTED THE LOC ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WITH THE GEAR STILL UP AND THE PLANE SLOWING DOWN TO THE APCH SPD OF 90 KTS. 6) I SLIGHTLY OVERSHOT THE INTERCEPT TO THE LOC BEFORE TURNING AND TRACKING INBOUND. 7) THE WIND WAS ABOUT 220 DEGS AT 33 KTS. THAT ADDED TO MY HIGHER THAN NORMAL GND SPD MOVING ME PAST THE INTERCEPT INTXN TO THE LOC. 8) I DID NOT PICK UP THE DME OFF OF THE ILS LOC. I, THEREFORE, DID NOT HAVE DME DISTANCE INFO TO THE ARPT OR THE OM KIRKI. 9) WHILE I WAS ABOUT 15+ MI FROM THE ARPT, I WAS POSITIONALLY DISORIENTED BY MY 20 DEG TURN TO THE L TO AVOID LIGHTNING, DEMANDS OF FLYING IN BAD WX, RAPID FIRE ACTION ITEMS PREPARING FOR THE APCH, LOSS OF DME INFO. I WAS CONFUSED ENOUGH TO THINK I WAS POSSIBLY INSIDE THE OM AND HAD TO FOLLOW THE GS DOWN BELOW 1800 FT.

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.

AC114 pilot arriving for approach encountered WX and lightning which contributed to becoming disoriented. Reporter became confused when commencing the approach and descended below the GS when approach controller alerted him of altitude.