Bonanza 35
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 36; Flight Crew Total 2000; Flight Crew Type 505
Situational Awareness; Physiological - Other
Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Weather; Human Factors
The weather at the airport was unlimited clear. It was night and the sky was black with stars. I departed and about two miles north of the runway; while climbing; encountered totally unexpected IMC. I momentarily lost control of the aircraft; recovering near the ground. After regaining control and locating the airport I returned for an uneventful landing.Two other aircraft departed shortly before and after me. Both later reported to me that they encountered the same completely unexpected IMC. They also returned to the airport and made uneventful landings.We all agreed that there was no way that any reporting service or person on the ground at the airport could have seen the cloud we encountered to the north in the darkness.There is no system that I know of that could have warned us of the IMC conditions. However; for my part; instantly and instinctively switching from visual to instrument flying would have precluded this incident. The key is reacting to an unexpected situation.
A J35 Bonanza pilot inadvertently entered IMC conditions and lost control shortly after takeoff on a dark moonless night. The pilot recovered control near the ground and returned to his departure airport.