Narrative:

On the morning of oct/mon/06; as part of my work; I had flown from hys to tqk. WX at tqk was IMC with approximately 600 ft broken; 1100 ft overcast; 3-5 mi visibility. En route and approach were uneventful and flown without autoplt as on previous flts it had not been working properly. A GPS approach to runway 35 was flown successfully. WX for the return flight was reported at tqk as 600-700 ft broken; 1100 ft overcast and 4 mi visibility. WX at the destination (hys) was reported 4000 ft overcast with 10 mi visibility. Estimated flight time for the trip was 35 mins. I departed tqk on an IFR flight plan; contacted ZDV and was handed over to ZKC. The flight proceeded uneventfully in IMC at 7000 ft MSL nebound. ZKC asked for my preferred approach and I requested the ILS to runway 34 at hys. Between 30-35 mi out the controller began vectoring me to the localizer. I had loaded the approach into the GPS and was attempting to load 'direct to' the fix when the aircraft entered an unusual attitude. As I attempted to correct the situation I believe I became more and more disoriented. I notified center that I was having trouble controling the aircraft. After some harrowing moments with significant changes in altitude; I was able to regain straight and level flight. I continued to be disoriented. Center indicated that I was wbound. It appeared that my HSI had become unusable. Center indicated that I was flying in circles. Center then put a controller one on one with me. Using only the magnetic compass for navigation the controller gave me vectors to my alternate; great bend (gbd). The WX according to center was better at gbd. With the help of the controller I was able to navigation to and land successfully at gbd. I believe that distraction while attempting to program the GPS led to unusual attitudes and loss of control of the aircraft. Subsequent loss of the HSI and IMC conditions led to further disorientation. Single pilot IFR can be difficult with multiple tasks to be performed. I feel that if I would have had a trustworthy autoplt and had it engaged that I would not have gotten into the situation that I did. In the future I do not plan to fly single pilot IFR without a fully functional autoplt on board. I am extremely thankful for the good people at ZKC; whose expertise and professionalism helped me out of a very difficult situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT BECAME DISORIENTED IN IMC WHEN HE TRIED TO PROGRAM HIS GPS AND LOST CTL OF THE ACFT; TUMBLING THE GYROS. WITH THE AID OF ATC; HE DIVERTED TO A SUITABLE ARPT AND LANDED SAFELY.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF OCT/MON/06; AS PART OF MY WORK; I HAD FLOWN FROM HYS TO TQK. WX AT TQK WAS IMC WITH APPROX 600 FT BROKEN; 1100 FT OVCST; 3-5 MI VISIBILITY. ENRTE AND APCH WERE UNEVENTFUL AND FLOWN WITHOUT AUTOPLT AS ON PREVIOUS FLTS IT HAD NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY. A GPS APCH TO RWY 35 WAS FLOWN SUCCESSFULLY. WX FOR THE RETURN FLT WAS RPTED AT TQK AS 600-700 FT BROKEN; 1100 FT OVCST AND 4 MI VISIBILITY. WX AT THE DEST (HYS) WAS RPTED 4000 FT OVCST WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY. ESTIMATED FLT TIME FOR THE TRIP WAS 35 MINS. I DEPARTED TQK ON AN IFR FLT PLAN; CONTACTED ZDV AND WAS HANDED OVER TO ZKC. THE FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY IN IMC AT 7000 FT MSL NEBOUND. ZKC ASKED FOR MY PREFERRED APCH AND I REQUESTED THE ILS TO RWY 34 AT HYS. BTWN 30-35 MI OUT THE CTLR BEGAN VECTORING ME TO THE LOC. I HAD LOADED THE APCH INTO THE GPS AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO LOAD 'DIRECT TO' THE FIX WHEN THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE. AS I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION I BELIEVE I BECAME MORE AND MORE DISORIENTED. I NOTIFIED CTR THAT I WAS HAVING TROUBLE CTLING THE ACFT. AFTER SOME HARROWING MOMENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN ALT; I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT. I CONTINUED TO BE DISORIENTED. CTR INDICATED THAT I WAS WBOUND. IT APPEARED THAT MY HSI HAD BECOME UNUSABLE. CTR INDICATED THAT I WAS FLYING IN CIRCLES. CTR THEN PUT A CTLR ONE ON ONE WITH ME. USING ONLY THE MAGNETIC COMPASS FOR NAV THE CTLR GAVE ME VECTORS TO MY ALTERNATE; GREAT BEND (GBD). THE WX ACCORDING TO CTR WAS BETTER AT GBD. WITH THE HELP OF THE CTLR I WAS ABLE TO NAV TO AND LAND SUCCESSFULLY AT GBD. I BELIEVE THAT DISTR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PROGRAM THE GPS LED TO UNUSUAL ATTITUDES AND LOSS OF CTL OF THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE HSI AND IMC CONDITIONS LED TO FURTHER DISORIENTATION. SINGLE PLT IFR CAN BE DIFFICULT WITH MULTIPLE TASKS TO BE PERFORMED. I FEEL THAT IF I WOULD HAVE HAD A TRUSTWORTHY AUTOPLT AND HAD IT ENGAGED THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE SITUATION THAT I DID. IN THE FUTURE I DO NOT PLAN TO FLY SINGLE PLT IFR WITHOUT A FULLY FUNCTIONAL AUTOPLT ON BOARD. I AM EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR THE GOOD PEOPLE AT ZKC; WHOSE EXPERTISE AND PROFESSIONALISM HELPED ME OUT OF A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.