Date: 201708
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: Turbulence; 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: CTAF ZZZ
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Private
Human factors: Confusion; Training / Qualification
Anomaly: Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Weather; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: I had just taken off [the] runway. Conditions were VFR; there was a chance of thunderstorms moving into the area; starting after 2000. This was going to be a short flight; and conditions were VFR; and we were going to just fly around. As I was climbing out; at Vy; I encountered some slight turbulence and my right wing came up; and attempted to put in right aileron; but the wing kept rising. I put in full right aileron and wing still kept rising; and we were losing altitude. With the right bank; we were now coming back across the crossing runway. Because I wasn't getting a response; had gained speed and were low; I decide to reduce power. At this time; my nose dropped; and I was able to get the wings level. I was able to maneuver the plane back toward the Runway; moving across the field at a low altitude and was climbing back up. I do not recall the lowest altitude I was at.At this point my [passenger] was extremely scared; and my only thought was to get the plane maneuvered back around for landing on [the] runway. In performing this maneuver; my altitude was much lower than it would be for flying an approach. I was flying as conservatively as I could; to calm my [passenger]; and assure I was doing my best to get the plane back to the runway and land the plane. My maneuver; was to gain a little more attitude; and then I performed a gradual/conservative 90/270 turn back to [the] runway; were I performed a normal landing (the plane responded to all flight control inputs.Honestly; I don't know why the plane responded (or didn't respond). Upon landing; all the flight controls move and responded correctly. In my best assessment there may have been some sort of wind shear; I can't explain it; and I really don't know what it was that caused the plane to fly the way it did. The one thing I know is that this was a scary event; and I did my best to recover the aircraft and avoid any obstacle; etc.Again; to the observer; I was a pilot flying the plane in an unsafe manner; but in reality; I did the best I could. I did as I was taught; fly the plane; trying to figure out how to get thing level and controlled; and then get it on the ground. All of my actions were to this end; even though I believe; I generally violated the flight rules.




Synopsis: GA pilot reported losing control of his aircraft in turbulence during climb after takeoff. Control was recovered at very low altitude over the departure airport and the aircraft maneuvered for a normal landing.