While concentrating on taking pictures of another aircraft; the pilot of a beechcraft 36 flew into I...

Narrative:

I was using my aircraft to take pictures of another aircraft. We did a complete briefing before the formation flight outlining our route; the weather and our plan for the photos. At the time of departure the ceiling was 3500 overcast; visibility six miles. We departed to the north. The ceiling was increasing as we went north; and at no time did I lose contact with the jet on my wing nor did the visibility decrease to less than three miles. We continued our climb and were at about 4000 ft when -- concentrating on my wingman -- I flew into an unexpected wall of fog. I had no time to get a clearance and immediately initiated a fast climb knowing that there was terrain somewhere ahead. I looked out the side window and we were close to the ground I continued my climb in IMC to VFR at about 5000 ft. I had no idea I had suffered damage so I continued the flight; got the pictures and returned. I filed IFR to the airport. When I landed I noted damage to the right wing tip and a broken lens. I also noted what looked like it could have been blood on the wing at the point of impact. It appears that it could have been a bird strike while I was in the clouds or contact with a tree or something on the ground. There was no indication that anything hit the wing during the flight. A mechanic inspected the aircraft for airworthiness and determined it was all right to fly with the broken lens and the small dent in the wing. After a review of the flight I have determined that there were factors that I would have changed. Being a conscientious pilot; I have made arrangements with a CFI to take some additional ground and flight instruction concentrating on these issues.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: While concentrating on taking pictures of another aircraft; the pilot of a Beechcraft 36 flew into IMC conditions and struck either a bird or an object on the ground damaging a wing and light lens.

Narrative: I was using my aircraft to take pictures of another aircraft. We did a complete briefing before the formation flight outlining our route; the weather and our plan for the photos. At the time of departure the ceiling was 3500 overcast; visibility six miles. We departed to the north. The ceiling was increasing as we went north; and at no time did I lose contact with the jet on my wing nor did the visibility decrease to less than three miles. We continued our climb and were at about 4000 FT when -- concentrating on my wingman -- I flew into an unexpected wall of fog. I had no time to get a clearance and immediately initiated a fast climb knowing that there was terrain somewhere ahead. I looked out the side window and we were close to the ground I continued my climb in IMC to VFR at about 5000 FT. I had no idea I had suffered damage so I continued the flight; got the pictures and returned. I filed IFR to the airport. When I landed I noted damage to the right wing tip and a broken lens. I also noted what looked like it could have been blood on the wing at the point of impact. It appears that it could have been a bird strike while I was in the clouds or contact with a tree or something on the ground. There was no indication that anything hit the wing during the flight. A mechanic inspected the aircraft for airworthiness and determined it was all right to fly with the broken lens and the small dent in the wing. After a review of the flight I have determined that there were factors that I would have changed. Being a conscientious pilot; I have made arrangements with a CFI to take some additional ground and flight instruction concentrating on these issues.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	839556
Time
Date	200906
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.VORTAC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Person 1
Qualification	Flight Crew Private Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20 Flight Crew Total 6000 Flight Crew Type 3000
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural FAR Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal

While concentrating on taking pictures of another aircraft; the pilot of a beechcraft 36 flew into IMC conditions and struck either a bird or an object on the ground damaging a wing and light lens.