Narrative:

After checking WX through cirrus (communication aviation WX) my student gave me a WX report of 1300 ft broken, 2000 ft overcast, 5 mi visibility. I told my student he could not go on his cross country. However, if he wanted to stay in the pattern and practice lndgs he could. I told him if the clouds were lower than forecast and he started to fly into then, turn around and get back on the ground. Student took off and at 800 ft MSL (300 ft AGL) he looked out the side window and it looked ok and continued watching his attitude, heading and airspeed as he climbed. He did not realize he flew into the clouds and when he looked out the window at 1100 ft MSL (600 ft AGL) he was in the clouds, he tried to descend to 1000 ft MSL (500 ft AGL) and did not see the ground. So, he remembered what he learned while under the hood, pulled out his GPS and headed back to the airport at 1000 ft MSL (500 ft AGL). He broke out and saw the airport, dived for the airport, was too fast and did a go around. He called for help on the unicom frequency and another instructor talked to him. He stayed at 300 ft AGL and came back around and landed. I should have gone with him to at first check the ceilings and then let him fly solo or not. In this case, I would not have if I knew ceilings were so low. I will from here on out raise my minimums for students to 2000 ft ceilings and not any lower, or if it is questionable, I will go up with the student first to check it out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 STUDENT PLT GETS CAUGHT IN CLOUDS AT 400 FT AGL AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: AFTER CHKING WX THROUGH CIRRUS (COM AVIATION WX) MY STUDENT GAVE ME A WX RPT OF 1300 FT BROKEN, 2000 FT OVCST, 5 MI VISIBILITY. I TOLD MY STUDENT HE COULD NOT GO ON HIS XCOUNTRY. HOWEVER, IF HE WANTED TO STAY IN THE PATTERN AND PRACTICE LNDGS HE COULD. I TOLD HIM IF THE CLOUDS WERE LOWER THAN FORECAST AND HE STARTED TO FLY INTO THEN, TURN AROUND AND GET BACK ON THE GND. STUDENT TOOK OFF AND AT 800 FT MSL (300 FT AGL) HE LOOKED OUT THE SIDE WINDOW AND IT LOOKED OK AND CONTINUED WATCHING HIS ATTITUDE, HDG AND AIRSPD AS HE CLBED. HE DID NOT REALIZE HE FLEW INTO THE CLOUDS AND WHEN HE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AT 1100 FT MSL (600 FT AGL) HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS, HE TRIED TO DSND TO 1000 FT MSL (500 FT AGL) AND DID NOT SEE THE GND. SO, HE REMEMBERED WHAT HE LEARNED WHILE UNDER THE HOOD, PULLED OUT HIS GPS AND HEADED BACK TO THE ARPT AT 1000 FT MSL (500 FT AGL). HE BROKE OUT AND SAW THE ARPT, DIVED FOR THE ARPT, WAS TOO FAST AND DID A GAR. HE CALLED FOR HELP ON THE UNICOM FREQ AND ANOTHER INSTRUCTOR TALKED TO HIM. HE STAYED AT 300 FT AGL AND CAME BACK AROUND AND LANDED. I SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH HIM TO AT FIRST CHK THE CEILINGS AND THEN LET HIM FLY SOLO OR NOT. IN THIS CASE, I WOULD NOT HAVE IF I KNEW CEILINGS WERE SO LOW. I WILL FROM HERE ON OUT RAISE MY MINIMUMS FOR STUDENTS TO 2000 FT CEILINGS AND NOT ANY LOWER, OR IF IT IS QUESTIONABLE, I WILL GO UP WITH THE STUDENT FIRST TO CHK IT OUT.

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.