Before I was a PPL I flew untra lights, no license required. The planes kept getting bigger and faster and I kept trading up until I was flying a TL Sting 2000. Flying back from SnF I took off from a small airport in Mississippi into bad weather. Clouds closed in so I climbed through them and popped out at 10,500.
On the way up I burned out the electric prop so while concentrating on the AH I had the nice smell of smoke permeate through the cockpit.
On top I decided to start heading to where I could see the ground I flew for 1.5 hours and had to climb to 12,500 to remain clear of clouds. No joy and as far ahead as the radio could reach checking weather.... no clearing clouds.
I decided to contact someone and explain the situation and ended up at an FAA Center freq with a controller than had a tough time believing me until he found me using the transponder. The plane was registered as an Australian UL so it took him a while to figure it out. He called it "Inadvertent IFR" , I'm sure there are other names for it.
I did not have enough fuel to make clear skies so he vectored me to an area with the highest ceilings and started my decent from 13,500 msl. All the while I was talking to the controller and he kept me updated on thunderstorms and icing pireps. I did pick up ice but kept a 600' rate of decent until I broke through at 2,000 agl.
Thanking the controller I turned the transponder and radio off and headed north until I found a quiet airport to refuel and call it a day.
It was at that point I decided to get my PPL and learn to fly by the rules.
Yes, I was dumb, yes, I was lucky, but managed the situation as best I could. What training I did have at the time taught me the "Four Cs" when you are in deep. Communicate, Confess, Conserve, Comply.
