MU-2 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 2500; Flight Crew Type 250
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Fatigue
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; General Maintenance Action
Airport; Weather; Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
After takeoff; beginning the SID I was too focused on noise abatement and failed to climb as I wanted.  Then I just lost Situational Awareness of the SID and was not 'in the game.'  I found myself at a 20 degree bank and now descending.  Corrected and went to engage the autopilot; but this plane has some lights on the MCP not working right and my confusion got worse.  Leveled wings and returned to a climb.  Tower asked my altitude; gave me a vector (which helped); and I began to collect myself; but I was low on SA.  It all worked out; but was embarrassing.Marginally night current with just 4 landings at night and only a few night hours recently. Second flight in this particular airframe (they all have little idiosyncrasies).  Squawks; I didn't realize until later (Mode Control Panel lights).  Nervous (about the passenger; the DP; the airplane).Address the squawks immediately. More familiarity with this airframe / GPS combo.  More time under hood; tired; at night when I am normally at home in bed.
MU2 pilot reports loss of situational awareness after takeoff from SNA at night in IMC employing noise abatement procedures.  The reporter found himself in a turn and descending through 800 FT before correcting and being issued a vector by ATC.  Lack of recent night IMC experience and familiarity with the aircraft were cited as factors.