PLT OF THE THIRD INST FLT OF THE DAY; WITH NO CHANCE TO EAT; FINDS HIMSELF EXPERIENCING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. THE CONDITION IS RECOGNIZED AND HE RELIES ON INSTS.

Date: 2000-05 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|other-vertigo-spatial-disonentation

Synopsis

PLT OF THE THIRD INST FLT OF THE DAY; WITH NO CHANCE TO EAT; FINDS HIMSELF EXPERIENCING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. THE CONDITION IS RECOGNIZED AND HE RELIES ON INSTS.

Narrative

SOLID IFR ALL DAY. THIRD LEG OF DAY. IT WAS WHAT I CONSIDER AN 'EASY IFR TRIP.' PSM WAS VFR WITH LIGHT RAIN. DEPARTED TEB -- IFR THE WHOLE TRIP. AFTER HFD WAS TURBULENT SO I WAS UNABLE TO EAT MY SANDWICH (LUNCH) AS PLANNED. LANDED AT PSM; TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS; AND PROCEEDED IFR TO BED TO DROP OFF PLT WHO DELIVERED OTHER ACFT TO PSM FOR ME. ILS TO 700 FT 2 MI AT BED; AND IT WAS SLOPPIER THAN USUAL. DROPPED OFF PAX AND DEPARTED IFR FOR TEB. WHILE IN A DSCNT FROM 6000 FT TO 4000 FT; I EXPERIENCED VERTIGO/SPATIAL DISORIENTATION SOMEWHAT. WHEN I LEVELED OFF AT 4000 FT; MY BODY THOUGHT I WAS DIVING. MY INSTINCT WOULD BE TO PULL UP; BUT I RECOGNIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON AND 'BELIEVED MY INSTS' ALTHOUGH I FELT VERY DISORIENTED. AFTER A FEW MINS I FELT BETTER AND PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY TO ILS RWY 6 AT TEB. NO ALT OR HDG INCURSIONS BECAUSE I QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THE PROB. I WANTED TO BE ANYWHERE OTHER THAN IN THAT AIRPLANE AT THAT MOMENT. NOT A GOOD FEELING. I MENTIONED THIS AFTER LNDG TO A FRIEND WHO IS ALSO AN AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINER. TOLD HIM 4+ HRS HAND FLYING SOLID IFR IN TURB; 3 APCHS; ETC. JOKINGLY TOLD HIM I MISSED LUNCH (IT'S A STANDARD JOKE THAT I ALWAYS EAT AT NOON). HE SAID DID YOU EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING ALL DAY? I SAID NO. HE SAID THAT 'YOU WERE HYPOGLYCEMIC' AND VERY LUCKY TO RECOGNIZE AND DEAL WITH THE SIT. I ALWAYS PLAN AHEAD -- EVEN HAD MY COOLER NEXT TO ME WITH LUNCH -- IT WAS TOO TURBULENT TO EAT. MORAL OF THE STORY: ALWAYS EAT AT NOON! I WILL ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO EAT SOMETHING FROM NOW ON.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.