Piper cherokee pilot unprepared for instrument approach loses situational awareness arriving at tul.

Attributes
ACN	438387
Time
Date	199905
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tul.airport
State Reference	OK
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tul.tracon tower : lga.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	438387
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR awm to tul with flight following. 15 mi from tul, approach informed me that they were no longer accepting VFR traffic. I asked for SVFR (was still in VFR conditions) but they refused. I agreed to approach IFR. Was vectored into IMC and lost situational awareness on approach. Missed approach and was vectored in by ATC radar vectors. I was totally unprepared for IFR and should have not accepted until I was totally prepared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER CHEROKEE PLT UNPREPARED FOR INST APCH LOSES SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ARRIVING AT TUL.

Narrative: VFR AWM TO TUL WITH FLT FOLLOWING. 15 MI FROM TUL, APCH INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER ACCEPTING VFR TFC. I ASKED FOR SVFR (WAS STILL IN VFR CONDITIONS) BUT THEY REFUSED. I AGREED TO APCH IFR. WAS VECTORED INTO IMC AND LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON APCH. MISSED APCH AND WAS VECTORED IN BY ATC RADAR VECTORS. I WAS TOTALLY UNPREPARED FOR IFR AND SHOULD HAVE NOT ACCEPTED UNTIL I WAS TOTALLY PREPARED.

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.