A request for a tight turn on final approach results in spatial disorientation and subsequent recovery from a 60 degree bank turn under night IMC single pilot situation.

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Attributes
ACN	498398
Time
Date	200101
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aoo.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 4600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 20 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	498398
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Spatial disorientation during a 360 degree turn. (ILS approach night, IMC.) allowed the aircraft to reach a 60 degree bank before recovery in attempt to comply with ATC request for a 'tight 360 degree' turn. Did not complete 360 turn after recovery from unusual attitude, rejoined localizer to airport, switched to local advisory service after reporting to center 'aircraft Y is now VFR' and without properly canceling IFR clearance after entering VFR conditions. Human factors: pilot was fatigued after 6 hours of flight and attack of shingles. Pilot should have refused ATC request for a 'tight 360' degree turn. (Question the wisdom of 360 degree turns at night IMC during ILS approach at any time.) recovery was delayed by not being on the critical instruments while attempting to get flight director to make the 360 degree turn and not lose positional awareness relative to ILS course. Recent experience not adequate for 360 degree turns at night in IMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A REQUEST FOR A TIGHT TURN ON FINAL APCH RESULTS IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY FROM A 60 DEG BANK TURN UNDER NIGHT IMC SINGLE PLT SIT.

Narrative: SPATIAL DISORIENTATION DURING A 360 DEG TURN. (ILS APCH NIGHT, IMC.) ALLOWED THE ACFT TO REACH A 60 DEG BANK BEFORE RECOVERY IN ATTEMPT TO COMPLY WITH ATC REQUEST FOR A 'TIGHT 360 DEG' TURN. DID NOT COMPLETE 360 TURN AFTER RECOVERY FROM UNUSUAL ATTITUDE, REJOINED LOC TO ARPT, SWITCHED TO LCL ADVISORY SVC AFTER RPTING TO CTR 'ACFT Y IS NOW VFR' AND WITHOUT PROPERLY CANCELING IFR CLRNC AFTER ENTERING VFR CONDITIONS. HUMAN FACTORS: PLT WAS FATIGUED AFTER 6 HRS OF FLT AND ATTACK OF SHINGLES. PLT SHOULD HAVE REFUSED ATC REQUEST FOR A 'TIGHT 360' DEG TURN. (QUESTION THE WISDOM OF 360 DEG TURNS AT NIGHT IMC DURING ILS APCH AT ANY TIME.) RECOVERY WAS DELAYED BY NOT BEING ON THE CRITICAL INSTS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET FLT DIRECTOR TO MAKE THE 360 DEG TURN AND NOT LOSE POSITIONAL AWARENESS RELATIVE TO ILS COURSE. RECENT EXPERIENCE NOT ADEQUATE FOR 360 DEG TURNS AT NIGHT IN IMC.

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.