Narrative:

I left W98 in marginal VFR -- VFR WX. Cloud cover was listed at greater than 1500 ft with 3 mi visibility. After taking off (approximately 300-500 ft in air) I looked down at my clipboard, looked up and was in a cloud. I panicked and pulled up on the elevator. Apparently I pulled up and to the left as my gyroscope spun. I was disoriented although I was only in the cloud for approximately 3-5 seconds, when I came out there were clouds below me with only occasional glimpses of ground. I was afraid of not being able to see the runway at phf and also of descending through the clouds (only occasional clear spots) as there may be obstacles. I then called norfolk approach who instructed me to squawk 7700. I continued on course to phf and was told that I should be able to descend through clear sky to below 1500 ft, which I did. There were no clouds between 1500 ft and 4000 ft. In retrospect I should not have looked at my clipboard until at cruising altitude. Also as this was my first encounter with a cloud, it was incredibly dangerous to a) panic, and B) pull up hard on the yoke as this could have resulted in the plane stalling. Had the plane stalled recovery would have been more difficult because of disorientation. Although I probably did not notify norfolk that I was above clouds, I found it very reassuring to speak with air traffic controllers given my anxiety level. The controllers were very helpful and should be utilized frequently if small private pilots are in unfamiliar situations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPI FLIES IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS RESULTING IN ON TOP CLOUDS AND SEEKING ASSISTANCE FROM APCH CTL.

Narrative: I LEFT W98 IN MARGINAL VFR -- VFR WX. CLOUD COVER WAS LISTED AT GREATER THAN 1500 FT WITH 3 MI VISIBILITY. AFTER TAKING OFF (APPROX 300-500 FT IN AIR) I LOOKED DOWN AT MY CLIPBOARD, LOOKED UP AND WAS IN A CLOUD. I PANICKED AND PULLED UP ON THE ELEVATOR. APPARENTLY I PULLED UP AND TO THE L AS MY GYROSCOPE SPUN. I WAS DISORIENTED ALTHOUGH I WAS ONLY IN THE CLOUD FOR APPROX 3-5 SECONDS, WHEN I CAME OUT THERE WERE CLOUDS BELOW ME WITH ONLY OCCASIONAL GLIMPSES OF GND. I WAS AFRAID OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE RWY AT PHF AND ALSO OF DSNDING THROUGH THE CLOUDS (ONLY OCCASIONAL CLR SPOTS) AS THERE MAY BE OBSTACLES. I THEN CALLED NORFOLK APCH WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO SQUAWK 7700. I CONTINUED ON COURSE TO PHF AND WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DSND THROUGH CLR SKY TO BELOW 1500 FT, WHICH I DID. THERE WERE NO CLOUDS BTWN 1500 FT AND 4000 FT. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD NOT HAVE LOOKED AT MY CLIPBOARD UNTIL AT CRUISING ALT. ALSO AS THIS WAS MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH A CLOUD, IT WAS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS TO A) PANIC, AND B) PULL UP HARD ON THE YOKE AS THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE PLANE STALLING. HAD THE PLANE STALLED RECOVERY WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF DISORIENTATION. ALTHOUGH I PROBABLY DID NOT NOTIFY NORFOLK THAT I WAS ABOVE CLOUDS, I FOUND IT VERY REASSURING TO SPEAK WITH AIR TFC CTLRS GIVEN MY ANXIETY LEVEL. THE CTLRS WERE VERY HELPFUL AND SHOULD BE UTILIZED FREQUENTLY IF SMALL PRIVATE PLTS ARE IN UNFAMILIAR SITUATIONS.

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.