Narrative:

Planned VFR flight from whp to ptv for fly-in. Duats/cirrus forecast clear palmdale, lancaster (wjf, our standard alternate) and bakersfield clear after XA00. Left whp with 5-6 mi in haze. Stayed under burbank class B (3000 ft MSL) north to newhall pass. Commenced cruise/climb clear of class B, just short of pass. When in pass -- haze became worse, stayed over freeway (didn't have room for a 180 degree turn in pass) and between hills on each side. Light blue above, usually could see pass was bad before entering. I have made 180 degrees many times for return to whp. When through pass, black ahead, brighter to right (east over freeway 14). When making right turn, I lost view of mountains on right (high wing) and view of route 14 below, black on left. I had my first case of vertigo when I lost outside reference (I've been flying 50 yrs). It caught me by surprise. By the time I realized it, I was in a 'graveyard spiral' to right -- only took 20-30 seconds! Went on gauges, leveled out and maximum climb power. In the clear above at 4500 ft. Headed north on course, saw from above that had I gone straight, I would have been IFR in solid cloud. I lucked out in the haze zone between the cloud and the mountain (dfl). I feel I should have gone on the gauges before I lost complete visual reference. The time I required to accommodate to the gauges could have been deadly under those conditions. This was the only time (that I can remember) being 'suckered in' to lousy conditions. I can usually 'see and avoid' (do a 180 degree turn).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C182 ENCOUNTERS POOR WX THROUGH A PASS AND CANNOT MAKE A 180 DEG. HE EXPERIENCES VERTIGO BUT RECOVERS AND CLBS TO CLR SKIES.

Narrative: PLANNED VFR FLT FROM WHP TO PTV FOR FLY-IN. DUATS/CIRRUS FORECAST CLR PALMDALE, LANCASTER (WJF, OUR STANDARD ALTERNATE) AND BAKERSFIELD CLR AFTER XA00. LEFT WHP WITH 5-6 MI IN HAZE. STAYED UNDER BURBANK CLASS B (3000 FT MSL) N TO NEWHALL PASS. COMMENCED CRUISE/CLB CLR OF CLASS B, JUST SHORT OF PASS. WHEN IN PASS -- HAZE BECAME WORSE, STAYED OVER FREEWAY (DIDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR A 180 DEG TURN IN PASS) AND BTWN HILLS ON EACH SIDE. LIGHT BLUE ABOVE, USUALLY COULD SEE PASS WAS BAD BEFORE ENTERING. I HAVE MADE 180 DEGS MANY TIMES FOR RETURN TO WHP. WHEN THROUGH PASS, BLACK AHEAD, BRIGHTER TO R (E OVER FREEWAY 14). WHEN MAKING R TURN, I LOST VIEW OF MOUNTAINS ON R (HIGH WING) AND VIEW OF RTE 14 BELOW, BLACK ON L. I HAD MY FIRST CASE OF VERTIGO WHEN I LOST OUTSIDE REF (I'VE BEEN FLYING 50 YRS). IT CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE. BY THE TIME I REALIZED IT, I WAS IN A 'GRAVEYARD SPIRAL' TO R -- ONLY TOOK 20-30 SECONDS! WENT ON GAUGES, LEVELED OUT AND MAX CLB PWR. IN THE CLR ABOVE AT 4500 FT. HEADED N ON COURSE, SAW FROM ABOVE THAT HAD I GONE STRAIGHT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IFR IN SOLID CLOUD. I LUCKED OUT IN THE HAZE ZONE BTWN THE CLOUD AND THE MOUNTAIN (DFL). I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE GONE ON THE GAUGES BEFORE I LOST COMPLETE VISUAL REF. THE TIME I REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE TO THE GAUGES COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS. THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME (THAT I CAN REMEMBER) BEING 'SUCKERED IN' TO LOUSY CONDITIONS. I CAN USUALLY 'SEE AND AVOID' (DO A 180 DEG TURN).

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.