Temporary loss of aircraft control by a private pilot in a C172 when going IMC during VFR flight nea...

Attributes
ACN	617197
Time
Date	200405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lew.airport
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pwm.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 273 flight time type : 154
ASRS Report	617197
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was traveling from bed to lew. Left bed in clear skies, unrestr, and got a flight briefing at bed. From portland to lew was not recommended by flight briefer. I thought I could at least get to maine and put down at an alternate airport. Conditions remained the same from portland to withing, 10 NM of lew. (VFR 10 mi visibility -- fog above ground but broken.) I got within 10 NM of lew when things got worse and began to happen fast. I lost sight of ground and descended to 1000 ft MSL and saw trees and antenna, decided to climb into clouds and reverse direction. I got very disoriented and began losing control of plane, immediately called portland approach and ask for help. They vectored me back to VFR and 10 mi visibility. They did a great job keeping me calm and on course and level flight. Vectored me to 63B and found a hole in fog and landed safely. I was very shook up at what had happened because of my poor decision to not turn back sooner. I felt like I was within seconds of losing my life and passenger. I am presently enrolled in instrument training at augusto, me. I also purchased an IFR course. I've heard and read stories of what can happen and how fast, but to experience it was the best lesson, although not the smartest.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEMPORARY LOSS OF ACFT CTL BY A PVT PLT IN A C172 WHEN GOING IMC DURING VFR FLT NEAR LEW, ME.

Narrative: I WAS TRAVELING FROM BED TO LEW. LEFT BED IN CLR SKIES, UNRESTR, AND GOT A FLT BRIEFING AT BED. FROM PORTLAND TO LEW WAS NOT RECOMMENDED BY FLT BRIEFER. I THOUGHT I COULD AT LEAST GET TO MAINE AND PUT DOWN AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT. CONDITIONS REMAINED THE SAME FROM PORTLAND TO WITHING, 10 NM OF LEW. (VFR 10 MI VISIBILITY -- FOG ABOVE GND BUT BROKEN.) I GOT WITHIN 10 NM OF LEW WHEN THINGS GOT WORSE AND BEGAN TO HAPPEN FAST. I LOST SIGHT OF GND AND DSNDED TO 1000 FT MSL AND SAW TREES AND ANTENNA, DECIDED TO CLB INTO CLOUDS AND REVERSE DIRECTION. I GOT VERY DISORIENTED AND BEGAN LOSING CTL OF PLANE, IMMEDIATELY CALLED PORTLAND APCH AND ASK FOR HELP. THEY VECTORED ME BACK TO VFR AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. THEY DID A GREAT JOB KEEPING ME CALM AND ON COURSE AND LEVEL FLT. VECTORED ME TO 63B AND FOUND A HOLE IN FOG AND LANDED SAFELY. I WAS VERY SHOOK UP AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED BECAUSE OF MY POOR DECISION TO NOT TURN BACK SOONER. I FELT LIKE I WAS WITHIN SECONDS OF LOSING MY LIFE AND PAX. I AM PRESENTLY ENROLLED IN INST TRAINING AT AUGUSTO, ME. I ALSO PURCHASED AN IFR COURSE. I'VE HEARD AND READ STORIES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN AND HOW FAST, BUT TO EXPERIENCE IT WAS THE BEST LESSON, ALTHOUGH NOT THE SMARTEST.

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.

Temporary loss of aircraft control by a private pilot in a C172 when going IMC during VFR flight near lew, me.