A student small aircraft pilot found himself in a cloud in the traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	224827
Time
Date	199210
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : s42
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 41 flight time type : 41
ASRS Report	224827
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After being assured the pattern was 'flyable,' and preflting the small aircraft, I attempted to takeoff in a normal manner. I pulled out more steeply than usual. This caused me to lose the horizon momentarily. This, in turn, coupled with drifting fog, led to my flying into a cloud of fog at approximately 1000 ft MSL. Momentarily panicked and disoriented, I climbed higher into the cloud. After the initial disorientation had passed, I settled down and flew using the instruments. I knew there were no high structures or hills near my position, so I carefully descended after announcing it on the CTAF/unicom. Upon sighting the field, I flew the pattern at approximately 850 ft MSL and made the landing. Contributing factors: poor WX briefing. Pilot inexperience. Loss of horizon during climb out. Slow and wrong reaction by pilot when cloud first entered. Erroneous belief that pattern altitude must be adhered to -- always. Perhaps the syllabus for student pilots could emphasize correct procedure for cloud avoidance in every case -- even if proper pattern altitude cannot be obtained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT SMA PLT FOUND HIMSELF IN A CLOUD IN THE TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: AFTER BEING ASSURED THE PATTERN WAS 'FLYABLE,' AND PREFLTING THE SMA, I ATTEMPTED TO TKOF IN A NORMAL MANNER. I PULLED OUT MORE STEEPLY THAN USUAL. THIS CAUSED ME TO LOSE THE HORIZON MOMENTARILY. THIS, IN TURN, COUPLED WITH DRIFTING FOG, LED TO MY FLYING INTO A CLOUD OF FOG AT APPROX 1000 FT MSL. MOMENTARILY PANICKED AND DISORIENTED, I CLBED HIGHER INTO THE CLOUD. AFTER THE INITIAL DISORIENTATION HAD PASSED, I SETTLED DOWN AND FLEW USING THE INSTS. I KNEW THERE WERE NO HIGH STRUCTURES OR HILLS NEAR MY POS, SO I CAREFULLY DSNDED AFTER ANNOUNCING IT ON THE CTAF/UNICOM. UPON SIGHTING THE FIELD, I FLEW THE PATTERN AT APPROX 850 FT MSL AND MADE THE LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: POOR WX BRIEFING. PLT INEXPERIENCE. LOSS OF HORIZON DURING CLBOUT. SLOW AND WRONG REACTION BY PLT WHEN CLOUD FIRST ENTERED. ERRONEOUS BELIEF THAT PATTERN ALT MUST BE ADHERED TO -- ALWAYS. PERHAPS THE SYLLABUS FOR STUDENT PLTS COULD EMPHASIZE CORRECT PROC FOR CLOUD AVOIDANCE IN EVERY CASE -- EVEN IF PROPER PATTERN ALT CANNOT BE OBTAINED.

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.