Narrative:

I wanted to move my plane from summer port to winter port this afternoon. While driving home I could see above the tops of the hills 1800 ft. The WX called for snow this wkend and I figured that I would not be able to get the C150 to home base before the snow hit the ground. So with 3000 ft ceilings, I blundered off into the east skies with lower ceilings ahead. 5 mins into the flight, I looked at the compass and said to myself that 180 degrees from this is my out?! Well, let me share the angst/terror, etc. I hit the wall of clouds and all of a sudden could not see the ground! I was only 5 mi from my destination, and thought -- thought that I could just follow the road into my home strip! This was the biggest mistake of my life! For about 5-8 mins, I was totally disoriented, and struggled to keep the plane right side up! I said to myself that this is it! After 4-5 mins of total IMC, I finally got somewhat of a grip. I firewalled the throttle and climbed back up to 2400 ft AGL and prayed. I also headed in the direction which was my escape! I totally relied on the attitude indicator for help. For those of you who haven't been there, let me tell you now, that what you have learned about flying IMC is all true! Thoughts of how my attitude indicator sometimes decides to tumble zoomed through my head. 121.5 was almost there or call in for ATC when a break in the clouds granted me visual reference for a moment. Then more clouds...light -- and a break about 4 mi back to home. I could see where my home base should be. Just when I could almost see home the ceiling enveloped me again and I descended to 2000 ft MSL. Then home base appeared right where it was supposed to be. At 110 mph I turned sharply and the runway was in sight! Slow to 80 mph, full flaps, idle, full rudder slip and I was on the ground! I taxied to my tie-down and said a prayer to my god that I was still alive. I do not write this as an adventure/thriller but to help others not to make my mistake! I could easily have been on the NTSB list of accidents that we read. I truly thought that I could end my life in muck. It is not funny or heroic by any means. I was stupid. I could go on and on about what happened to me but you all get the point. Do not scud run or fly into IMC -- period! I was lucky, god was with me, that's all I can say. I hope my ordeal helps others. If all else fails, remember what you were taught -- it saved my life!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C150 PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED DURING VFR IN IMC ENCOUNTER AT D48 NEAR BUF, NY.

Narrative: I WANTED TO MOVE MY PLANE FROM SUMMER PORT TO WINTER PORT THIS AFTERNOON. WHILE DRIVING HOME I COULD SEE ABOVE THE TOPS OF THE HILLS 1800 FT. THE WX CALLED FOR SNOW THIS WKEND AND I FIGURED THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE C150 TO HOME BASE BEFORE THE SNOW HIT THE GND. SO WITH 3000 FT CEILINGS, I BLUNDERED OFF INTO THE E SKIES WITH LOWER CEILINGS AHEAD. 5 MINS INTO THE FLT, I LOOKED AT THE COMPASS AND SAID TO MYSELF THAT 180 DEGS FROM THIS IS MY OUT?! WELL, LET ME SHARE THE ANGST/TERROR, ETC. I HIT THE WALL OF CLOUDS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN COULD NOT SEE THE GND! I WAS ONLY 5 MI FROM MY DEST, AND THOUGHT -- THOUGHT THAT I COULD JUST FOLLOW THE ROAD INTO MY HOME STRIP! THIS WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE! FOR ABOUT 5-8 MINS, I WAS TOTALLY DISORIENTED, AND STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE PLANE RIGHT SIDE UP! I SAID TO MYSELF THAT THIS IS IT! AFTER 4-5 MINS OF TOTAL IMC, I FINALLY GOT SOMEWHAT OF A GRIP. I FIREWALLED THE THROTTLE AND CLBED BACK UP TO 2400 FT AGL AND PRAYED. I ALSO HEADED IN THE DIRECTION WHICH WAS MY ESCAPE! I TOTALLY RELIED ON THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR FOR HELP. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, LET ME TELL YOU NOW, THAT WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT FLYING IMC IS ALL TRUE! THOUGHTS OF HOW MY ATTITUDE INDICATOR SOMETIMES DECIDES TO TUMBLE ZOOMED THROUGH MY HEAD. 121.5 WAS ALMOST THERE OR CALL IN FOR ATC WHEN A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS GRANTED ME VISUAL REF FOR A MOMENT. THEN MORE CLOUDS...LIGHT -- AND A BREAK ABOUT 4 MI BACK TO HOME. I COULD SEE WHERE MY HOME BASE SHOULD BE. JUST WHEN I COULD ALMOST SEE HOME THE CEILING ENVELOPED ME AGAIN AND I DSNDED TO 2000 FT MSL. THEN HOME BASE APPEARED RIGHT WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. AT 110 MPH I TURNED SHARPLY AND THE RWY WAS IN SIGHT! SLOW TO 80 MPH, FULL FLAPS, IDLE, FULL RUDDER SLIP AND I WAS ON THE GND! I TAXIED TO MY TIE-DOWN AND SAID A PRAYER TO MY GOD THAT I WAS STILL ALIVE. I DO NOT WRITE THIS AS AN ADVENTURE/THRILLER BUT TO HELP OTHERS NOT TO MAKE MY MISTAKE! I COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN ON THE NTSB LIST OF ACCIDENTS THAT WE READ. I TRULY THOUGHT THAT I COULD END MY LIFE IN MUCK. IT IS NOT FUNNY OR HEROIC BY ANY MEANS. I WAS STUPID. I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME BUT YOU ALL GET THE POINT. DO NOT SCUD RUN OR FLY INTO IMC -- PERIOD! I WAS LUCKY, GOD WAS WITH ME, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. I HOPE MY ORDEAL HELPS OTHERS. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE TAUGHT -- IT SAVED MY LIFE!

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.