A PA46 pilot questions his instrument flying skills and proficiency after diverting to sitka, ak, wh...

Attributes
ACN	590758
Time
Date	200308
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Windshear Turbulence Fog Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-46 Malibu
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 11
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	590758
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I filed IFR for yat to ketchikan. On departure, the WX was above minimums and forecast to improve. The WX went down and winds and windshear increased at ketchikan. I began looking for alternatives and decided on sitka when I was close to bka. I asked for an approach to sitka and was given the lda. I made 3 approachs to sitka having to do the missed approach 2 times. I became disoriented on the approach and had difficulty executing the missed properly. Additionally, perhaps due to the high winds, I had difficulty executing the DME arc and consequently the full approach. I believe my IFR skills are below what they should be. I am not comfortable with the current level of my skills, although my training is current. I have taken recent training, but I am not satisfied with the level of skill reached and need to improve that level. I intend to complete some intense recurrency and not fly IFR until I do so. Additionally, I advised center I needed time to set up the approach, yet I was vectored for the procedure turn. I should have rejected the approach at that time since it was too complicated in light of my level of skill, the high winds, the lack of time to become familiar with it before attempting to execute it and the fact I had never flown that approach into sitka previously. I should have requested the GPS which would have been far simpler and easier to execute in high winds. Nevertheless, I want my skill level to be such that I could execute such an approach if required and intend to obtain additional training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA46 PLT QUESTIONS HIS INST FLYING SKILLS AND PROFICIENCY AFTER DIVERTING TO SITKA, AK, WHERE HE HAD DIFFICULTY WITH THE LDA DME APCH. 3 ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BEFORE A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS MADE.

Narrative: I FILED IFR FOR YAT TO KETCHIKAN. ON DEP, THE WX WAS ABOVE MINIMUMS AND FORECAST TO IMPROVE. THE WX WENT DOWN AND WINDS AND WINDSHEAR INCREASED AT KETCHIKAN. I BEGAN LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES AND DECIDED ON SITKA WHEN I WAS CLOSE TO BKA. I ASKED FOR AN APCH TO SITKA AND WAS GIVEN THE LDA. I MADE 3 APCHS TO SITKA HAVING TO DO THE MISSED APCH 2 TIMES. I BECAME DISORIENTED ON THE APCH AND HAD DIFFICULTY EXECUTING THE MISSED PROPERLY. ADDITIONALLY, PERHAPS DUE TO THE HIGH WINDS, I HAD DIFFICULTY EXECUTING THE DME ARC AND CONSEQUENTLY THE FULL APCH. I BELIEVE MY IFR SKILLS ARE BELOW WHAT THEY SHOULD BE. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE CURRENT LEVEL OF MY SKILLS, ALTHOUGH MY TRAINING IS CURRENT. I HAVE TAKEN RECENT TRAINING, BUT I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE LEVEL OF SKILL REACHED AND NEED TO IMPROVE THAT LEVEL. I INTEND TO COMPLETE SOME INTENSE RECURRENCY AND NOT FLY IFR UNTIL I DO SO. ADDITIONALLY, I ADVISED CTR I NEEDED TIME TO SET UP THE APCH, YET I WAS VECTORED FOR THE PROC TURN. I SHOULD HAVE REJECTED THE APCH AT THAT TIME SINCE IT WAS TOO COMPLICATED IN LIGHT OF MY LEVEL OF SKILL, THE HIGH WINDS, THE LACK OF TIME TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH IT BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO EXECUTE IT AND THE FACT I HAD NEVER FLOWN THAT APCH INTO SITKA PREVIOUSLY. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED THE GPS WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR SIMPLER AND EASIER TO EXECUTE IN HIGH WINDS. NEVERTHELESS, I WANT MY SKILL LEVEL TO BE SUCH THAT I COULD EXECUTE SUCH AN APCH IF REQUIRED AND INTEND TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL TRAINING.

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.

A PA46 pilot questions his instrument flying skills and proficiency after diverting to sitka, ak, where he had difficulty with the lda DME approach. 3 attempts were made before a successful landing was made.