Narrative:

Departed ZZZ1; WX was VMC. Cleared direct ZZZ and a climb to FL230. Autoplt engaged at cruise altitude. There was light precipitation; cloud deck right below me. Engine anti-ice on; windshield heat on; propeller anti-ice on; wings were clear. Approximately 160 NM east of ZZZ the pilot's ADI rolled abruptly to the left and pitched down; it stayed locked in this position. The autoplt followed immediately and I was in an unknown attitude in night IMC. The autoplt disc light illuminated and the copilot's ADI locked up; as well. I attempted to recover using airspeed indicator; vvi; HSI and altimeter. The aircraft went through several gyrations: airspeed ranged from the barber pole to approximately 150 KTS. Pitch/roll attitude was unknown. Strong positive and negative g-forces were experienced. I broke out of the clouds at approximately 13000 ft MSL and was able to orient myself using ground lights. I was able to stabilize the aircraft at 180 KTS. After checking engine instruments (all ok); warning lights (autoplt disc) and circuit breakers (all in); I requested and received clearance direct ZZZ1 at 9000 ft MSL. The approach and landing (night VMC); a visual straight-in was uneventful. I believe this incidence was caused by a mechanical failure of the primary flight ADI; however; this unforeseen failure serves to emphasize the importance of single-pilot/crew training to include unusual attitude recovery without an operative ADI and cross-cockpit instrument usage for recoveries. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter believes that had he quickly transferred his scan to copilot's ADI; he could have recovered easily. By the time the thought occurred; that ADI had failed also; leaving only needle; ball; and airspeed. The aircraft's operator plans to install a standby ADI in the near future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE200 PILOT REPORTS UPSET IN NIGHT IMC WHEN ADI FAILS AT FL230. SINGLE PILOT RECOVERS WHEN PASSING INTO VMC AT 13000 FEET.

Narrative: DEPARTED ZZZ1; WX WAS VMC. CLRED DIRECT ZZZ AND A CLB TO FL230. AUTOPLT ENGAGED AT CRUISE ALT. THERE WAS LIGHT PRECIP; CLOUD DECK RIGHT BELOW ME. ENG ANTI-ICE ON; WINDSHIELD HEAT ON; PROP ANTI-ICE ON; WINGS WERE CLR. APPROX 160 NM E OF ZZZ THE PLT'S ADI ROLLED ABRUPTLY TO THE L AND PITCHED DOWN; IT STAYED LOCKED IN THIS POS. THE AUTOPLT FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY AND I WAS IN AN UNKNOWN ATTITUDE IN NIGHT IMC. THE AUTOPLT DISC LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE COPLT'S ADI LOCKED UP; AS WELL. I ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER USING AIRSPD INDICATOR; VVI; HSI AND ALTIMETER. THE ACFT WENT THROUGH SEVERAL GYRATIONS: AIRSPD RANGED FROM THE BARBER POLE TO APPROX 150 KTS. PITCH/ROLL ATTITUDE WAS UNKNOWN. STRONG POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE G-FORCES WERE EXPERIENCED. I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROX 13000 FT MSL AND WAS ABLE TO ORIENT MYSELF USING GND LIGHTS. I WAS ABLE TO STABILIZE THE ACFT AT 180 KTS. AFTER CHKING ENG INSTS (ALL OK); WARNING LIGHTS (AUTOPLT DISC) AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS (ALL IN); I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC DIRECT ZZZ1 AT 9000 FT MSL. THE APCH AND LNDG (NIGHT VMC); A VISUAL STRAIGHT-IN WAS UNEVENTFUL. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENCE WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE PRIMARY FLT ADI; HOWEVER; THIS UNFORESEEN FAILURE SERVES TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SINGLE-PLT/CREW TRAINING TO INCLUDE UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY WITHOUT AN OPERATIVE ADI AND CROSS-COCKPIT INST USAGE FOR RECOVERIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER BELIEVES THAT HAD HE QUICKLY TRANSFERRED HIS SCAN TO COPLT'S ADI; HE COULD HAVE RECOVERED EASILY. BY THE TIME THE THOUGHT OCCURRED; THAT ADI HAD FAILED ALSO; LEAVING ONLY NEEDLE; BALL; AND AIRSPEED. THE ACFT'S OPERATOR PLANS TO INSTALL A STANDBY ADI IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.