Bonanza 36 private pilot non instrument rated encountered solid undercast and building clouds. Reporter requested SVFR descent and controller granted request, but reporter became IMC and lost control of the aircraft temporarily.

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Attributes
ACN	386071
Time
Date	199711
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14500 msl bound upper : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 84 flight time total : 150 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	386071
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying VFR with flight following from ryan field, az, to reno, nv, on nov/xx/97 to attend a conference. I called for WX and had 4 hour window where clouds over reno were supposed to be 4000-8000 ft scattered/broken. I was at 14500 ft when large cloud mass was encountered south of reno. I requested to leave 14500 ft for 15500 ft and later 15500 ft to 16500 ft to stay out of clouds. When 150-250 mi (approximately) from reno, I was over solid clouds and requested a SVFR to descend through clouds from ZOA. Traffic controller asked for and pilot (I) repeated request, stating that I was stuck above clouds. ATC granted permission to descend. Later, ZOA turned pilot over to reno, and pilot asked for continued SVFR. Reno asked pilot to climb and pilot temporarily lost control of plane in IMC conditions. Pilot thought he was following rules. Apparently SVFR was wrong phrase/request. Pilot should have been better aware of how to ask for help and ATC should have wondered what pilot was asking for before clearance was/is granted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BONANZA 36 PVT PLT NON INST RATED ENCOUNTERED SOLID UNDERCAST AND BUILDING CLOUDS. RPTR REQUESTED SVFR DSCNT AND CTLR GRANTED REQUEST, BUT RPTR BECAME IMC AND LOST CTL OF THE ACFT TEMPORARILY.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING FROM RYAN FIELD, AZ, TO RENO, NV, ON NOV/XX/97 TO ATTEND A CONFERENCE. I CALLED FOR WX AND HAD 4 HR WINDOW WHERE CLOUDS OVER RENO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE 4000-8000 FT SCATTERED/BROKEN. I WAS AT 14500 FT WHEN LARGE CLOUD MASS WAS ENCOUNTERED S OF RENO. I REQUESTED TO LEAVE 14500 FT FOR 15500 FT AND LATER 15500 FT TO 16500 FT TO STAY OUT OF CLOUDS. WHEN 150-250 MI (APPROX) FROM RENO, I WAS OVER SOLID CLOUDS AND REQUESTED A SVFR TO DSND THROUGH CLOUDS FROM ZOA. TFC CTLR ASKED FOR AND PLT (I) REPEATED REQUEST, STATING THAT I WAS STUCK ABOVE CLOUDS. ATC GRANTED PERMISSION TO DSND. LATER, ZOA TURNED PLT OVER TO RENO, AND PLT ASKED FOR CONTINUED SVFR. RENO ASKED PLT TO CLB AND PLT TEMPORARILY LOST CTL OF PLANE IN IMC CONDITIONS. PLT THOUGHT HE WAS FOLLOWING RULES. APPARENTLY SVFR WAS WRONG PHRASE/REQUEST. PLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER AWARE OF HOW TO ASK FOR HELP AND ATC SHOULD HAVE WONDERED WHAT PLT WAS ASKING FOR BEFORE CLRNC WAS/IS GRANTED.

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.