Flight instructor attempts climb through 'hole' in clouds, enters IMC and loses control of the aircr...

Attributes
ACN	156718
Time
Date	199009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rka
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	156718
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying with a private pilot working on a commercial certificate, during the en route phase of flight, I inadvertently entered IMC west/O a clearance. While climbing through a hole to reach clear conditions on top of a cloud deck, I suggested that we could take a straight heading and clear the clouds. The student disagreed and suggested I fly the aircraft, as the hole we were in appeared to be getting smaller. I took the controls and shortly thereafter entered IMC at approximately 10000' MSL. We remained in the cloud approximately 1 min before breaking out on top. Upon entering the cloud I suffered momentary vertigo and pitched up too steeply, causing the stall warning to come on twice. Once in the cloud I maintained heading because it seemed that the clouds were higher on either side. I believe the event occurred because of my poor judgement of the cloud heights and distances and of the performance capability of the aircraft. Although INS current, my vertigo was no doubt caused by surprise and lack of recent practice in actual IMC conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTS CLIMB THROUGH 'HOLE' IN CLOUDS, ENTERS IMC AND LOSES CTL OF THE ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING WITH A PVT PLT WORKING ON A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE, DURING THE ENRTE PHASE OF FLT, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC W/O A CLRNC. WHILE CLBING THROUGH A HOLE TO REACH CLR CONDITIONS ON TOP OF A CLOUD DECK, I SUGGESTED THAT WE COULD TAKE A STRAIGHT HDG AND CLR THE CLOUDS. THE STUDENT DISAGREED AND SUGGESTED I FLY THE ACFT, AS THE HOLE WE WERE IN APPEARED TO BE GETTING SMALLER. I TOOK THE CTLS AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER ENTERED IMC AT APPROX 10000' MSL. WE REMAINED IN THE CLOUD APPROX 1 MIN BEFORE BREAKING OUT ON TOP. UPON ENTERING THE CLOUD I SUFFERED MOMENTARY VERTIGO AND PITCHED UP TOO STEEPLY, CAUSING THE STALL WARNING TO COME ON TWICE. ONCE IN THE CLOUD I MAINTAINED HDG BECAUSE IT SEEMED THAT THE CLOUDS WERE HIGHER ON EITHER SIDE. I BELIEVE THE EVENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF MY POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE CLOUD HEIGHTS AND DISTANCES AND OF THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY OF THE ACFT. ALTHOUGH INS CURRENT, MY VERTIGO WAS NO DOUBT CAUSED BY SURPRISE AND LACK OF RECENT PRACTICE IN ACTUAL IMC CONDITIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Flight instructor attempts climb through 'hole' in clouds, enters IMC and loses control of the aircraft.