On 24 Sep 2005 12:53:59 -0700, "pimenthal"
wrote:

The pilot flew into
IMC became disoriented, asked for assistance and panicked. All the
while the controller helped him to recover the AC. The pilot was close
enough to the ground that he saw the top of a radio tower on the way
down.

Much as I'd like to think that FSS helped this guy recover, my
interpretation of the tape is that they at most pointed him in the
direction of VFR conditions, after he'd recovered on his own.

He lost control of his airplane while in IMC and did not recover until
he actually saw the ground (the tower he mentions). I know FSS was
advising him to push the controls forward, then haul it back, but by
then he was in the act of recovery because he had fallen through the
cloud cover and could see the ground.

For the first few moments of contact FSS tried to identify the guy and
find out where he was and what was happening. The poor slob was
terrified and had no idea where he was at that time.

When he was back in control, FSS worked hard at finding him a
direction in which to fly that would get him back into VFR conditions,
but he had to fly the 172 there, in the clouds. So having recovered
from his spiral, he now had to climb back into the clouds and maintain
his heading to get into VFR. He was VERY grateful for the assistance,
which is obvious when you listen to him speaking to FSS after he'd
landed and was now checking on conditions in which to continue his
cross country. The guy clearly understood that he REALLY lucked out
this time.

Corky Scott