Flight assist as small aircraft pilot flies into IMC at night.

Attributes
ACN	234195
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : prb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : 17 flight time total : 144 flight time type : 144
ASRS Report	234195
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During a VFR flight from sba to ccr, in inadvertently flew into IMC. I had flown from ccr to sba earlier that day and was able to stay above the cloud layers (which were about 9000 ft at that time). I left sba later than I originally intended to leave. In retrospect, I should not have left sba at a time that would require night VFR flight given the cloud conditions. At the time I thought I would be able to see and avoid the clouds (probably because prior night flying experience took place on either moon light or clear days). I was able to avoid clouds for the first part of the flight by climbing or descending. Clouds were still visible because it was dusk. After passing the prb VOR, I came upon a large cloud front. I initially tried to climb over it, but soon elected to descend below it because the tops were above 12500 ft and I did not have supplemental oxygen on board. I did not notice entering IMC at first (and, in fact, remember being curious why the anti-collision lights were illuminating the cockpit and causing a strobe effect on the propeller). I was probably in IMC for several mins, when I noticed that I could no longer see ground lights. Shortly thereafter, I noticed that the turn coordinator was pegged in a left turn, the attitude indicator showed a 45-60 degrees left bank, and the directional gyroscope was spinning rapidly. About this time, the airspeed indicator dropped to 60 KTS, then to 0. Based largely on an article in the feb/93 issue of the FAA published norcal aviation review, called 170 seconds, my instrument training to date (about 10 plus hours), and other aviation safety pubs, I recognized the signs of a 'graveyard spiral' and was able to return the plane to straight and level flight. I immediately turned on pitot heat, contacted ATC, declared an urgency situation, and requested vectors to the nearest airport, which happened to be sns. ATC was very helpful and cooperative, which helped relieve the stress. I am convinced that without the instrument training I have received (I'm working on an instrument rating now), I would not have recognized the problem until it was too late. The real cause here was bad judgement due to a lack of appreciation of the danger of night VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ASSIST AS SMA PLT FLIES INTO IMC AT NIGHT.

Narrative: DURING A VFR FLT FROM SBA TO CCR, IN INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO IMC. I HAD FLOWN FROM CCR TO SBA EARLIER THAT DAY AND WAS ABLE TO STAY ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYERS (WHICH WERE ABOUT 9000 FT AT THAT TIME). I LEFT SBA LATER THAN I ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO LEAVE. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD NOT HAVE LEFT SBA AT A TIME THAT WOULD REQUIRE NIGHT VFR FLT GIVEN THE CLOUD CONDITIONS. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE AND AVOID THE CLOUDS (PROBABLY BECAUSE PRIOR NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE TOOK PLACE ON EITHER MOON LIGHT OR CLR DAYS). I WAS ABLE TO AVOID CLOUDS FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE FLT BY CLBING OR DSNDING. CLOUDS WERE STILL VISIBLE BECAUSE IT WAS DUSK. AFTER PASSING THE PRB VOR, I CAME UPON A LARGE CLOUD FRONT. I INITIALLY TRIED TO CLB OVER IT, BUT SOON ELECTED TO DSND BELOW IT BECAUSE THE TOPS WERE ABOVE 12500 FT AND I DID NOT HAVE SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ON BOARD. I DID NOT NOTICE ENTERING IMC AT FIRST (AND, IN FACT, REMEMBER BEING CURIOUS WHY THE ANTI-COLLISION LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATING THE COCKPIT AND CAUSING A STROBE EFFECT ON THE PROP). I WAS PROBABLY IN IMC FOR SEVERAL MINS, WHEN I NOTICED THAT I COULD NO LONGER SEE GND LIGHTS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I NOTICED THAT THE TURN COORDINATOR WAS PEGGED IN A L TURN, THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR SHOWED A 45-60 DEGS L BANK, AND THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE WAS SPINNING RAPIDLY. ABOUT THIS TIME, THE AIRSPD INDICATOR DROPPED TO 60 KTS, THEN TO 0. BASED LARGELY ON AN ARTICLE IN THE FEB/93 ISSUE OF THE FAA PUBLISHED NORCAL AVIATION REVIEW, CALLED 170 SECONDS, MY INST TRAINING TO DATE (ABOUT 10 PLUS HRS), AND OTHER AVIATION SAFETY PUBS, I RECOGNIZED THE SIGNS OF A 'GRAVEYARD SPIRAL' AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN THE PLANE TO STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON PITOT HEAT, CONTACTED ATC, DECLARED AN URGENCY SIT, AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE SNS. ATC WAS VERY HELPFUL AND COOPERATIVE, WHICH HELPED RELIEVE THE STRESS. I AM CONVINCED THAT WITHOUT THE INST TRAINING I HAVE RECEIVED (I'M WORKING ON AN INST RATING NOW), I WOULD NOT HAVE RECOGNIZED THE PROB UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. THE REAL CAUSE HERE WAS BAD JUDGEMENT DUE TO A LACK OF APPRECIATION OF THE DANGER OF NIGHT VFR.

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.