Small aircraft pilot flying in IMC experiences vertigo, nausea and loss of aircraft control.

Attributes
ACN	254832
Time
Date	199310
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ric
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1071 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	254832
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight was an 'angel flight' transfer of a 10 week old baby and her parents. They had experienced apparent ear pain problems with the baby on a previous leg at 9000 ft, so it was decided to try to keep the altitude lower on this leg. We filed and were cleared for 3000 ft. Southwest of fayetteville we were told to climb and maintain 5000 ft which put us into solid IMC. Shortly after, raleigh approach handed us off to ZDC. I started feeling nauseated. We were getting a lot of 'flicker' effect as we passed through thin spots in the overcast. I requested a climb to 7000 ft hoping that a little time in clear air would ease the nausea. Center told me to stand by for clearance to 7000 ft. By the time clearance came, the situation was getting acute. As we started to climb, I could see through occasional breaks that we would have to go much higher than 7000 ft to top the cumulus that was starting to get fairly high. I requested to go back down to 3000 ft as that should get us below the overcast and into clearer air. Center cleared me back down to 4000 ft. Somewhere around 5000 ft I got sick. My head was swimming. I was dizzy and nauseous. My scan was off and the airplane out of control. I told center I was having problems, they asked what they could do to help. I told them I needed visual conditions. I had earlier dropped the gear to slow the plane and hopefully stabilize it. I was all over the sky. The controller kept telling me to recycle my transponder because radar contact was lost. It was a very busy and overwhelming few mins. I was afraid I might not get the plane back under control. At one point before I got it stabilized, we were indicating 3000 ft, yet still in solid IMC. I managed to finally regain control, climbed back to 4000 ft, told center I wanted to change my flight plan and go into richmond. I was so disoriented I needed to ask for vectors. I proceeded to richmond without incident. 2 days after the flight my doctor gave me a prescription for medicine for an ear and sinus infection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLYING IN IMC EXPERIENCES VERTIGO, NAUSEA AND LOSS OF ACFT CTL.

Narrative: FLT WAS AN 'ANGEL FLT' TRANSFER OF A 10 WK OLD BABY AND HER PARENTS. THEY HAD EXPERIENCED APPARENT EAR PAIN PROBS WITH THE BABY ON A PREVIOUS LEG AT 9000 FT, SO IT WAS DECIDED TO TRY TO KEEP THE ALT LOWER ON THIS LEG. WE FILED AND WERE CLRED FOR 3000 FT. SW OF FAYETTEVILLE WE WERE TOLD TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT WHICH PUT US INTO SOLID IMC. SHORTLY AFTER, RALEIGH APCH HANDED US OFF TO ZDC. I STARTED FEELING NAUSEATED. WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF 'FLICKER' EFFECT AS WE PASSED THROUGH THIN SPOTS IN THE OVCST. I REQUESTED A CLB TO 7000 FT HOPING THAT A LITTLE TIME IN CLR AIR WOULD EASE THE NAUSEA. CTR TOLD ME TO STAND BY FOR CLRNC TO 7000 FT. BY THE TIME CLRNC CAME, THE SIT WAS GETTING ACUTE. AS WE STARTED TO CLB, I COULD SEE THROUGH OCCASIONAL BREAKS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO MUCH HIGHER THAN 7000 FT TO TOP THE CUMULUS THAT WAS STARTING TO GET FAIRLY HIGH. I REQUESTED TO GO BACK DOWN TO 3000 FT AS THAT SHOULD GET US BELOW THE OVCST AND INTO CLEARER AIR. CTR CLRED ME BACK DOWN TO 4000 FT. SOMEWHERE AROUND 5000 FT I GOT SICK. MY HEAD WAS SWIMMING. I WAS DIZZY AND NAUSEOUS. MY SCAN WAS OFF AND THE AIRPLANE OUT OF CTL. I TOLD CTR I WAS HAVING PROBS, THEY ASKED WHAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP. I TOLD THEM I NEEDED VISUAL CONDITIONS. I HAD EARLIER DROPPED THE GEAR TO SLOW THE PLANE AND HOPEFULLY STABILIZE IT. I WAS ALL OVER THE SKY. THE CTLR KEPT TELLING ME TO RECYCLE MY XPONDER BECAUSE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. IT WAS A VERY BUSY AND OVERWHELMING FEW MINS. I WAS AFRAID I MIGHT NOT GET THE PLANE BACK UNDER CTL. AT ONE POINT BEFORE I GOT IT STABILIZED, WE WERE INDICATING 3000 FT, YET STILL IN SOLID IMC. I MANAGED TO FINALLY REGAIN CTL, CLBED BACK TO 4000 FT, TOLD CTR I WANTED TO CHANGE MY FLT PLAN AND GO INTO RICHMOND. I WAS SO DISORIENTED I NEEDED TO ASK FOR VECTORS. I PROCEEDED TO RICHMOND WITHOUT INCIDENT. 2 DAYS AFTER THE FLT MY DOCTOR GAVE ME A PRESCRIPTION FOR MEDICINE FOR AN EAR AND SINUS INFECTION.

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.