PA28 pilot nearly loses control after large unsecured dogs jump into front seat.

Attributes
ACN	710896
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : emt.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	710896
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing out of el monte airport and talking to socal approach; my 2 large dogs went crazy -- jumped on me and with no one in the copilot seat; one of my dogs pushed the control yoke and caught his front leg on the yoke; causing an uncontrolled turn to the right. This turn put me inside the clouds IMC. Once I regained control of the plane and dogs; I realized I had turned towards lax class B airspace. I do not know if I entered their airspace or not; but ATC did advise me that I was not cleared to enter; and to descend below 5000 ft AGL which I did. Shortly after; ATC asked if I was in VFR conditions and; could I see the ground? I was then in VFR and could see the ground. The moral of this flight is that I should have secured my dogs with seatbelts. This is the main error I committed. Secondly; flying VFR into IMC without an IFR clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT NEARLY LOSES CTL AFTER LARGE UNSECURED DOGS JUMP INTO FRONT SEAT.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF EL MONTE ARPT AND TALKING TO SOCAL APCH; MY 2 LARGE DOGS WENT CRAZY -- JUMPED ON ME AND WITH NO ONE IN THE COPLT SEAT; ONE OF MY DOGS PUSHED THE CTL YOKE AND CAUGHT HIS FRONT LEG ON THE YOKE; CAUSING AN UNCTLED TURN TO THE R. THIS TURN PUT ME INSIDE THE CLOUDS IMC. ONCE I REGAINED CTL OF THE PLANE AND DOGS; I REALIZED I HAD TURNED TOWARDS LAX CLASS B AIRSPACE. I DO NOT KNOW IF I ENTERED THEIR AIRSPACE OR NOT; BUT ATC DID ADVISE ME THAT I WAS NOT CLRED TO ENTER; AND TO DSND BELOW 5000 FT AGL WHICH I DID. SHORTLY AFTER; ATC ASKED IF I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND; COULD I SEE THE GND? I WAS THEN IN VFR AND COULD SEE THE GND. THE MORAL OF THIS FLT IS THAT I SHOULD HAVE SECURED MY DOGS WITH SEATBELTS. THIS IS THE MAIN ERROR I COMMITTED. SECONDLY; FLYING VFR INTO IMC WITHOUT AN IFR CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.