Tell me a pilot who hasn't!.
My first occurred first time solo out of circuit in a Cherokee from OATS at Kidlington in 1968 on a Special Flying Award. Only maps issued were 1/2 Mil. I floated up and off toward the NE enjoying the view up to at about 4500 ft, then suddenly, as it was a bit hazy , couldn't see anything on the ground that related to the map. Never minding, I turned SW and headed back.
The only problem was that I then found myself blundering above what turned out to be 8/8 low stratus and thus out of site of the ground. Having no instrument training whatsoever , and not wishing to stray too far, I put the beast into a 15 degree left bank turn on the AH, slightly nose down. and throttled back a bit to a trimmed descent through my first experience of Instrument flying (ever) and in cloud. Round and round we went ,down and down we went: Then at about 1500 ft suddenly broke out of cloud ( Phew!). Immediately I knew where I was ; Beckley Radio mast!, Since I had just had a very good close look at one of its guy wires.
I slunk back to the inevitable debrief with my Ex RAF Hurricane ,Swift etc. instructor. I relayed honestly what had happened, which apart from a few exclamations of ,"And then you did ?, WHAT !", was comparatively gentle. I think he could see how much I had frightened myself.
I was extremely lucky.(On that occasion).
Last edited by Haraka; 3rd Mar 2017 at 11:19.