Small aircraft on VFR flight plan climbs then descends to avoid WX. Becomes disoriented in clouds. Center and airborne pilot assist in reorienting. Center declares emergency.

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Attributes
ACN	210324
Time
Date	199205
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cbe
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 170 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	210324
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At approximately XA00 local time I called leesburg FSS for WX conditions from iad to ckb then on to 3MY. I was told iad was VFR with some WX west of the mountains and south along the ohio valley. I received VFR clearance to 6500 from iad departure and was at that altitude approximately 50 NM 285 degrees from ldn VOR. I contacted ckb approach and told them I was climbing to 8500 MSL to maintain VFR, which I did. At 8500 MSL it soon became cloudy and I started to descend back to 6500 MSL. I became disoriented in the clouds and that is when ckb approach told me to contact ZDC. At the same time another aircraft contacted me to see if he could be of help. With the help of those 2 sources they determined my position and gave me vectors to cbe. ZDC declared an emergency when I asked for help during this time, I appreciated them doing that. Between ZDC and especially mr X who was the other pilot who contacted me, they got me to cbe safely. This situation including questionable WX information plus my failure to turn 180 degrees when I got to the 8500 MSL clouds combined to create this emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON VFR FLT PLAN CLBS THEN DSNDS TO AVOID WX. BECOMES DISORIENTED IN CLOUDS. CTR AND AIRBORNE PLT ASSIST IN REORIENTING. CTR DECLARES EMER.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00 LCL TIME I CALLED LEESBURG FSS FOR WX CONDITIONS FROM IAD TO CKB THEN ON TO 3MY. I WAS TOLD IAD WAS VFR WITH SOME WX W OF THE MOUNTAINS AND S ALONG THE OHIO VALLEY. I RECEIVED VFR CLRNC TO 6500 FROM IAD DEP AND WAS AT THAT ALT APPROX 50 NM 285 DEGS FROM LDN VOR. I CONTACTED CKB APCH AND TOLD THEM I WAS CLBING TO 8500 MSL TO MAINTAIN VFR, WHICH I DID. AT 8500 MSL IT SOON BECAME CLOUDY AND I STARTED TO DSND BACK TO 6500 MSL. I BECAME DISORIENTED IN THE CLOUDS AND THAT IS WHEN CKB APCH TOLD ME TO CONTACT ZDC. AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER ACFT CONTACTED ME TO SEE IF HE COULD BE OF HELP. WITH THE HELP OF THOSE 2 SOURCES THEY DETERMINED MY POS AND GAVE ME VECTORS TO CBE. ZDC DECLARED AN EMER WHEN I ASKED FOR HELP DURING THIS TIME, I APPRECIATED THEM DOING THAT. BTWN ZDC AND ESPECIALLY MR X WHO WAS THE OTHER PLT WHO CONTACTED ME, THEY GOT ME TO CBE SAFELY. THIS SITUATION INCLUDING QUESTIONABLE WX INFO PLUS MY FAILURE TO TURN 180 DEGS WHEN I GOT TO THE 8500 MSL CLOUDS COMBINED TO CREATE THIS EMER.

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.