Pilot loses consciousness en route and overflies fix on V27 near fot, ca.

Attributes
ACN	495414
Time
Date	200012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : eni.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : v27.airway
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3850
ASRS Report	495414
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Took off from oakland, ca, with IFR clearance to arcata, ca. Reached final cruise altitude of 8000 ft over santa rosa, ca, past mendocino VOR and changed frequency to ZOA. Entered IMC approximately 15 mi northwest of mendocino VOR, expecting changing control frequency to ZSE while tracking V27 from mendocino to fortuna VOR with autoplt on heading mode and altitude mode. Navigation #1 was set to mendocino VOR and navigation #2 was set to fortuna VOR. DME selector was set to navigation #2. Communication #1 was set for ZOA with volume at high. Communication #2 was set to company frequency. Northwest of mendocino VOR at 8000 ft, I lost consciousness. I woke up and found I was 36 DME northwest of fortuna VOR, still at 8000 ft in IMC. Initially, I turned left toward west, then turned back right towards fot. Tuned and called ZSE. ZSE issued WX and clearance with radar vectors to arcata for a landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS ENRTE AND OVERFLIES FIX ON V27 NEAR FOT, CA.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM OAKLAND, CA, WITH IFR CLRNC TO ARCATA, CA. REACHED FINAL CRUISE ALT OF 8000 FT OVER SANTA ROSA, CA, PAST MENDOCINO VOR AND CHANGED FREQ TO ZOA. ENTERED IMC APPROX 15 MI NW OF MENDOCINO VOR, EXPECTING CHANGING CTL FREQ TO ZSE WHILE TRACKING V27 FROM MENDOCINO TO FORTUNA VOR WITH AUTOPLT ON HDG MODE AND ALT MODE. NAV #1 WAS SET TO MENDOCINO VOR AND NAV #2 WAS SET TO FORTUNA VOR. DME SELECTOR WAS SET TO NAV #2. COM #1 WAS SET FOR ZOA WITH VOLUME AT HIGH. COM #2 WAS SET TO COMPANY FREQ. NW OF MENDOCINO VOR AT 8000 FT, I LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. I WOKE UP AND FOUND I WAS 36 DME NW OF FORTUNA VOR, STILL AT 8000 FT IN IMC. INITIALLY, I TURNED L TOWARD W, THEN TURNED BACK R TOWARDS FOT. TUNED AND CALLED ZSE. ZSE ISSUED WX AND CLRNC WITH RADAR VECTORS TO ARCATA FOR A LNDG.

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.