<< >> NASA ASRS Report 615192, April 2004

Inbound to smo, C172 pilot experiences physical problems causing in spatial disorientation resulting in a lax class B violation.

Attributes
ACN	615192
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : smo.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3.1 flight time total : 328.5 flight time type : 328.5
ASRS Report	615192
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Approaching smo, contact with tower, on third aviation orientation program flight of the day, approximately 3 mi from smo, both of my ears suddenly blocked completely. I became spatially disoriented and lost situational awareness, overflew smo, heading south for lax. I was able finally to unblock my ears and realized that I was extremely close to lax and possibly intruded into lax airspace. I made a hard left turn and headed back to smo on the south downwind (I was approaching from the north originally). I reported dizziness and loss of situational awareness to smo tower. They inserted me into the pattern and I landed without further incident. Because of the ear problem, I made no further flts and returned the plane to the rental FBO.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INBOUND TO SMO, C172 PLT EXPERIENCES PHYSICAL PROBS CAUSING IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION RESULTING IN A LAX CLASS B VIOLATION.

Narrative: APCHING SMO, CONTACT WITH TWR, ON THIRD AVIATION ORIENTATION PROGRAM FLT OF THE DAY, APPROX 3 MI FROM SMO, BOTH OF MY EARS SUDDENLY BLOCKED COMPLETELY. I BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, OVERFLEW SMO, HDG S FOR LAX. I WAS ABLE FINALLY TO UNBLOCK MY EARS AND REALIZED THAT I WAS EXTREMELY CLOSE TO LAX AND POSSIBLY INTRUDED INTO LAX AIRSPACE. I MADE A HARD L TURN AND HEADED BACK TO SMO ON THE S DOWNWIND (I WAS APCHING FROM THE N ORIGINALLY). I RPTED DIZZINESS AND LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TO SMO TWR. THEY INSERTED ME INTO THE PATTERN AND I LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. BECAUSE OF THE EAR PROB, I MADE NO FURTHER FLTS AND RETURNED THE PLANE TO THE RENTAL FBO.

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.