Low time GA pilot experiences loss of aircraft control in cloud.

Attributes
ACN	163859
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tix
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : cof
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 68 flight time total : 467 flight time type : 57
ASRS Report	163859
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was climbing to 5000' MSL. I entered a layer of clouds at 4000'. I had leveled out at 5000'. The power was adjusted and I was adjusting mixture. The aircraft began a rapid roll and descent. I decreased power and leveled the wings. Then the aircraft rolled in the other direction. At this point I lost my assigned altitude in an attempt to regain control. Patrick departure notified me that I had violated someone's airspace. My radio was crackling and in my attempt to switch radios I also switched the audio panel switch to a neutral position. At some point I did regain control and resumed my proper altitude and course. I could not reach patrick, so I checked in with daytona. The turbulence I encountered was like a crosswind on approach when the aircraft rolls suddenly or possibly vortices which I have not experienced before. The turbulence encountered was unexpected as this was a return trip. The first leg was 1 hour earlier. The return leg was at night. Good visibility except in the clouds. After the second turn I was slow in catching up to the aircraft's INS. I am a low time INS pilot and I had not been in such an unusual attitude except in initial training for my INS ticket. As usual, a chain of events happened to create an incident. It started with an unexpected event and needed quicker action than what I did. I have already contacted my CFI for more in-depth training in MEL, IMC, night flying. We have discussed the event to better understand what happened. I do not know whether I encountered WX turbulence or heavy aircraft vortices. I do not believe that anyone else was at fault. I was current in all aspects, but I should be better than the minimum requirements.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME GA PLT EXPERIENCES LOSS OF ACFT CTL IN CLOUD.

Narrative: I WAS CLBING TO 5000' MSL. I ENTERED A LAYER OF CLOUDS AT 4000'. I HAD LEVELED OUT AT 5000'. THE PWR WAS ADJUSTED AND I WAS ADJUSTING MIXTURE. THE ACFT BEGAN A RAPID ROLL AND DSNT. I DECREASED PWR AND LEVELED THE WINGS. THEN THE ACFT ROLLED IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. AT THIS POINT I LOST MY ASSIGNED ALT IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CTL. PATRICK DEP NOTIFIED ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED SOMEONE'S AIRSPACE. MY RADIO WAS CRACKLING AND IN MY ATTEMPT TO SWITCH RADIOS I ALSO SWITCHED THE AUDIO PANEL SWITCH TO A NEUTRAL POS. AT SOME POINT I DID REGAIN CTL AND RESUMED MY PROPER ALT AND COURSE. I COULD NOT REACH PATRICK, SO I CHKED IN WITH DAYTONA. THE TURB I ENCOUNTERED WAS LIKE A XWIND ON APCH WHEN THE ACFT ROLLS SUDDENLY OR POSSIBLY VORTICES WHICH I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE. THE TURB ENCOUNTERED WAS UNEXPECTED AS THIS WAS A RETURN TRIP. THE FIRST LEG WAS 1 HR EARLIER. THE RETURN LEG WAS AT NIGHT. GOOD VISIBILITY EXCEPT IN THE CLOUDS. AFTER THE SECOND TURN I WAS SLOW IN CATCHING UP TO THE ACFT'S INS. I AM A LOW TIME INS PLT AND I HAD NOT BEEN IN SUCH AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE EXCEPT IN INITIAL TRNING FOR MY INS TICKET. AS USUAL, A CHAIN OF EVENTS HAPPENED TO CREATE AN INCIDENT. IT STARTED WITH AN UNEXPECTED EVENT AND NEEDED QUICKER ACTION THAN WHAT I DID. I HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED MY CFI FOR MORE IN-DEPTH TRNING IN MEL, IMC, NIGHT FLYING. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE EVENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER I ENCOUNTERED WX TURB OR HEAVY ACFT VORTICES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANYONE ELSE WAS AT FAULT. I WAS CURRENT IN ALL ASPECTS, BUT I SHOULD BE BETTER THAN THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.

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.