Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C; 210D
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 27; Flight Crew Total 2400; Flight Crew Type 49
Training / Qualification; Human-Machine Interface
Deviation - Speed All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Weather; Aircraft; Human Factors
If memory serves: Visibility was 1/2 mile in Fog; Ceiling 200'; Tops reported at 2;100 MSL (800'+/- AGL). Upon entering the clouds experienced excessive Nose Up Attitude which I believe increased the P210's left turning tendency. This combination of excessive Pitch Up and P-Factor caused the plane to veer left of the straight ahead climb to 1;800 MSL before the right turn called for by the DP. The excessive Nose Up trim triggered a red chevron (+20'?) on my Aspen 1000 PRO SV pointing toward the ground indicating a dangerously high Nose Up attitude. Realizing I was not in full control of the airplane my training to fly the airplane kicked in and I focused on reducing the Pitch Attitude to a normal climb attitude of +7.5' and rolling in the much needed right rudder trim. At all times my IAS remained above Vx (80 KIAS) but did descend below Vy (100 KIAS). At no time did the Stall Warning horn buzz. The Tower informed me that I was 'turning in the wrong direction' (Left rather than Right). Within what I estimate is 30 seconds of this announcement I broke out on top and then resumed course. My P210 was loaded to an aft - but within limits - CG (49' within a 37' - 52' range). I had not flown this airplane in this heavy (about 100 lbs. below gross weight) and aft CG W&B configuration before. I tried to compensate by wheeling in slightly less NOSE UP Trim and slightly more RIGHT RUDDER Trim. Obviously I had not compensated would have properly set a 7.5' Nose Up attitude and so free up more time to compensate with the additional Right Rudder Trim called for. Prior to this flight I had only flown in forward CG configurations so this unfamiliarity contributed to my poor takeoff performance. (The P210 is known for being Nose Heavy; when being flown (as I typically do) with neither mid nor rear seat passengers). In addition; my previous 1;000+/- flight hours were in Cessna pressurized Skymasters in which aft CG loadings were seldom a concern and; perhaps even more importantly required little; if any; Rudder Trim adjustments during Takeoff. So far as I know there was neither a terrain (I am familiar with the surrounding area) nor any traffic conflict. I plan to practice Full Power takeoffs (first VFR; then under the hood) in similar configurations to determine the appropriate aft CG Pre-Flight Takeoff Rudder and Nose Trim settings and to familiarize myself with the sensations such a Takeoff into the clouds may present.
C210 pilot reports taking off into IMC with a heavily loaded aircraft with an aft CG. The normal trim setting led to a very nose high attitude and a left turning tendency; which was noticed by the Tower. At this time the aircraft broke out into the clear and full control was regained.