rgbrock1:
Ah, but was it surprise or "startle" which affected the PF, or was it abject fear? Was he so preoccupied with the weather that in pulling back and keeping it there (fright response) he thought he was getting out of the cloud layer and into blue skies? And in so focusing on his fright response in obtaining blue skies, he paid absolutely no heed to everything else going on around him?
Of course, we'll never know. But, when it comes to good guesses, I completely agree.
"Scared senseless."