Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Other Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 17; Flight Crew Total 830; Flight Crew Type 257
Confusion; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Workload
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC
Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
Instrument approach practice. Actual IMC. Approach at ZZZ went well. ATC instructed me to do published missed. At MAP; reread procedure and followed while in VMC. Entered IMC at 3;300 feet MSL (1;300 feet AGL). While setting NAV; attention to course was diverted. Work load increased to above my comfort level. Way far off course. ATC called and instructed immediate turn to prevent hitting obstacle. ATC the vectored me back to ZZZ1; my home base.Primary cause - Failed to setup VOR for published missed before needing it and in relatively non stressful flight. Lesson learned - Have ALL equipment set and verified before needing it; including standby frequencies and heading bugs.
Pilot reported flying towards an obstacle while in IMC for training and was vectored by ATC back to their home airport.