great pilot, no, cautious pilot, yes.
My plane just came out of the shop yesterday with $20,000 in new avionics.

Nothing can prevent the worst from happening, but preventive maintence will
reduce the chances of bad things happening. If you think something is not right,
have it checked and or replaced before flying, especially into IMC. You take
care of your plane like your life depends on it (because it does)

Also your situation actually happened to me last winter, 11,000 ft over the MMM
VOR (north of las vegas) in IMC, light ice on the wings, I was in my old
cherokee 180 and it did not have pitot heat. the TC said I was in a left turn,
the AI said I was in a right turn, I knew I was in a right turn because I had
just turned in that direction. It came back in about 3 seconds, but I also hit
something, not sure what it was, but I think it was wind sheer, I lost 30 mph in
IAS and 1000 ft in a matter of seconds.
I didnt die, I am still here.

Control is a big concern, but just because things may happen you dont panic.
Keep control of the airplane, trust your instruments, maintain your airplane,
make good judgement calls and you increase your chances of living to talk smack
another day.

The answer to your situation is simple, if your watching your instruments you
will know your attitude when one is wrong.


markjen wrote:

not a factor, I have an auto pilot, if it goes out, fly the instruments,
it does
not take much to get out of an unusual attitude. I own a retract, I fly it
in
IMC.

I guess you're just a great pilot. But for us average pilots, loss of
control is a very big concern.

(I'd love to put you in a simulator and start introducing random instrument
failures in heavy turbulence while flying a tough approach. Hmmm .... the
turn coordinator and horizon don't seem to agree. Which is right? You've
got about five seconds to figure it out before you die.)

- Mark