Narrative:

I departed smithville, tx. Smithville city lights were visible from the airport, more than 1 mi distance from the airport. 15 mins after takeoff, I was unable to see the ground. I responded by pulling back on the elevator control till I reached 2000' MSL. What I thought was air turbulence, was actually steep banks. After the 3RD steep turn, I became completely disoriented and called for help on 122.5. I was told to squawk XXXX on my transponder. Austin ATC told me I was 22 mi southeast of austin. I asked permission to climb to a higher altitude. Permission was granted to 5000'. At 5000' MSL I was able to see the ground below me. I believe I flew into a cloud, became disoriented, and kept flying around in a circle within the cloud. ATC from austin told me to land. I started to land at san marcos, then he asked me my intentions. I responded that I would like to proceed to fort stockton, tx and el paso, tx before the WX worsened. The austin ATC directed me to stonewall VOR, which I was already tuned to the 105 degree radial. I then proceeded to stonewall VOR and fredericksburg airport with no further incident. Before departure, I called san angelo FSS for a WX briefing. The WX was similar to my flight earlier, except for a tropical storm from east texas/louisiana moving westward. Clouds were 2000' scattered and 5000' broken, visibility 4 1/2 mi to the east of austin, but all was clear to the west of austin. If the situation arose again, I would be more careful or recognizing and identifying a cloud at night, instead of mistaking it for just a dark, rural area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA VFR IN IMC REQUIRES FLT ASSIST TO REGAIN ORIENTATION.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SMITHVILLE, TX. SMITHVILLE CITY LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE FROM THE ARPT, MORE THAN 1 MI DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT. 15 MINS AFTER TKOF, I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE GND. I RESPONDED BY PULLING BACK ON THE ELEVATOR CONTROL TILL I REACHED 2000' MSL. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AIR TURBULENCE, WAS ACTUALLY STEEP BANKS. AFTER THE 3RD STEEP TURN, I BECAME COMPLETELY DISORIENTED AND CALLED FOR HELP ON 122.5. I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK XXXX ON MY XPONDER. AUSTIN ATC TOLD ME I WAS 22 MI SE OF AUSTIN. I ASKED PERMISSION TO CLIMB TO A HIGHER ALT. PERMISSION WAS GRANTED TO 5000'. AT 5000' MSL I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE GND BELOW ME. I BELIEVE I FLEW INTO A CLOUD, BECAME DISORIENTED, AND KEPT FLYING AROUND IN A CIRCLE WITHIN THE CLOUD. ATC FROM AUSTIN TOLD ME TO LAND. I STARTED TO LAND AT SAN MARCOS, THEN HE ASKED ME MY INTENTIONS. I RESPONDED THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED TO FORT STOCKTON, TX AND EL PASO, TX BEFORE THE WX WORSENED. THE AUSTIN ATC DIRECTED ME TO STONEWALL VOR, WHICH I WAS ALREADY TUNED TO THE 105 DEG RADIAL. I THEN PROCEEDED TO STONEWALL VOR AND FREDERICKSBURG ARPT WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. BEFORE DEP, I CALLED SAN ANGELO FSS FOR A WX BRIEFING. THE WX WAS SIMILAR TO MY FLT EARLIER, EXCEPT FOR A TROPICAL STORM FROM EAST TEXAS/LOUISIANA MOVING WESTWARD. CLOUDS WERE 2000' SCATTERED AND 5000' BROKEN, VISIBILITY 4 1/2 MI TO THE E OF AUSTIN, BUT ALL WAS CLEAR TO THE W OF AUSTIN. IF THE SITUATION AROSE AGAIN, I WOULD BE MORE CAREFUL OR RECOGNIZING AND IDENTIFYING A CLOUD AT NIGHT, INSTEAD OF MISTAKING IT FOR JUST A DARK, RURAL AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.