You're Looking Down (Instead: Memorize 1st 2 steps)

• If you need to look down at an approach plate at the crucial moment when you’re low and need to maneuver, you’re inviting spatial disorientation.
• Your focus at the Missed Approach Point should be: (1) Power, (2) Attitude, (3) Configuration while
  • Fly the heading and climb focused on the attitude indicator (with instrument cross check)
• KNOW THE FIRST TWO STEPS of the missed
  • Rehearse them out loud during the final approach segment (Climb straight to 1200, turn right to 240 for radial intercept)
  • You can look at follow-on steps again once stable on a heading

Spatial Disorientation: Simultaneous Power, Climb, Turn

• You're low to the ground, tired, nervous, looking for the runway and need to substantially change the plane's trajectory
• Then you add full power, pitch up, and likely turn, inducing all the aeromedical factors inducing spatial disorientation

You're biased towards landing and unprepared

• Frequently call out altitude and floor (800 feet for 380…) to trigger the events
• Rehearse on final approach as disucssed earlier (at 380, full power, climb to 1200, turn to 240)

You start it early

Reference: AIM 5-4-21

• Obstacle protection is based on starting the missed approach AT THE MISSED APPROACH POINT (and at or above MDA/DH)
• No consideration is given to an early turn.
• When an early missed approach is executed, fly the approach to the MDA (unless otherwise cleared by ATC)
  • You can absolutely climb early; just don’t turn early
• ILS where early missed is trouble
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  : If you execute a left turn on the 6100 foot leg, you’ll head straight for mountains.

My advice: Practice

• On a IFR day, fly a “higher minimum” approach like a VOR or circling approach somwhere that keeps you in the clouds at MDA → you get an actual missed approach
• With a safety pilot, fly a full approach with the missed at night to get the effect of spatial disorientation.