A student pilot panics after being taken into clouds by his instructor.

Attributes
ACN	536818
Time
Date	200201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fft.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 2450
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lex.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1032 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	536818
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was the first time I flew with this particular student. I asked him if he had ever been in clouds before. He stated yes. I also told him he would be picking up the IFR clearance. I gave him an example of a clearance and he repeated it fine. He filed the flight plan using himself as PIC as I had instructed him not to. We received our clearance and departed IFR. We were cleared as filed from lex up to 3000 ft. As soon as the student entered the clouds, it became apparent that this was his first time there. He turned to the first 2 assigned headings with some help and then panicked. He began making erratic turns right and left and descending. He began to talk over the controller instead of listening to her instructions. We requested the visual into fft. I was actively trying to regain control from the student of the controls and to stop him from transmitting. The controller, I thought, cleared us for the visual approach, but I was still trying to get altitude up to 3000 ft. I should have questioned the clearance, but I was trying to fight the student's panic. We requested 2500 ft to shoot the visual and then shot the visual to a full stop at fft. We discussed his fears and that he must not fall below assigned altitudes. He admitted he panicked. He also reported to the controller our altitude to be 2200 ft and we were at 2450 ft. We were subsequently asked to call the tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT PLT PANICS AFTER BEING TAKEN INTO CLOUDS BY HIS INSTRUCTOR.

Narrative: THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I FLEW WITH THIS PARTICULAR STUDENT. I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD EVER BEEN IN CLOUDS BEFORE. HE STATED YES. I ALSO TOLD HIM HE WOULD BE PICKING UP THE IFR CLRNC. I GAVE HIM AN EXAMPLE OF A CLRNC AND HE REPEATED IT FINE. HE FILED THE FLT PLAN USING HIMSELF AS PIC AS I HAD INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO. WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC AND DEPARTED IFR. WE WERE CLRED AS FILED FROM LEX UP TO 3000 FT. AS SOON AS THE STUDENT ENTERED THE CLOUDS, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST TIME THERE. HE TURNED TO THE FIRST 2 ASSIGNED HEADINGS WITH SOME HELP AND THEN PANICKED. HE BEGAN MAKING ERRATIC TURNS R AND L AND DSNDING. HE BEGAN TO TALK OVER THE CTLR INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO HER INSTRUCTIONS. WE REQUESTED THE VISUAL INTO FFT. I WAS ACTIVELY TRYING TO REGAIN CTL FROM THE STUDENT OF THE CTLS AND TO STOP HIM FROM XMITTING. THE CTLR, I THOUGHT, CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH, BUT I WAS STILL TRYING TO GET ALT UP TO 3000 FT. I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CLRNC, BUT I WAS TRYING TO FIGHT THE STUDENT'S PANIC. WE REQUESTED 2500 FT TO SHOOT THE VISUAL AND THEN SHOT THE VISUAL TO A FULL STOP AT FFT. WE DISCUSSED HIS FEARS AND THAT HE MUST NOT FALL BELOW ASSIGNED ALTS. HE ADMITTED HE PANICKED. HE ALSO RPTED TO THE CTLR OUR ALT TO BE 2200 FT AND WE WERE AT 2450 FT. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED TO CALL THE TWR.

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.