PA34 pilot had the attitude indicator fail in IMC in gsp class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	520339
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : and.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gsp.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-220T Turbo Seneca III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	520339
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On jul/xa/01, on IFR flight from aoh to and, while in IMC, the main (pilot side) artificial horizon attitude indicator failed. Emergency was declared immediately, and vectors obtained to gradually descend out of IMC go VMC. The overcast layer was from about 10000 ft MSL down to 1200 ft AGL. Minimum banking was used during this descent. Once VMC was encountered, 2-WAY radio communications with approach were suboptional, and messages relayed to my aircraft from approach via another plane. IFR flight plan then closed at anderson FSS, and I visited this FSS after this occurred. Problem contributed by low time instrument pilot, and helped by recent partial panel training, and the plane is equipped with a backup artificial horizon on copilot's side. Future benefit may be obtained from having backup with dc driven instead of both artificial horizons being air driven. This has been discussed at local avionics shop. The plane ws then ferried to home base aoh, in VMC with the inoperative equipment labeled 'inoperative.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34 PLT HAD THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR FAIL IN IMC IN GSP CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON JUL/XA/01, ON IFR FLT FROM AOH TO AND, WHILE IN IMC, THE MAIN (PLT SIDE) ARTIFICIAL HORIZON ATTITUDE INDICATOR FAILED. EMER WAS DECLARED IMMEDIATELY, AND VECTORS OBTAINED TO GRADUALLY DSND OUT OF IMC GO VMC. THE OVCST LAYER WAS FROM ABOUT 10000 FT MSL DOWN TO 1200 FT AGL. MINIMUM BANKING WAS USED DURING THIS DSCNT. ONCE VMC WAS ENCOUNTERED, 2-WAY RADIO COMS WITH APCH WERE SUBOPTIONAL, AND MESSAGES RELAYED TO MY ACFT FROM APCH VIA ANOTHER PLANE. IFR FLT PLAN THEN CLOSED AT ANDERSON FSS, AND I VISITED THIS FSS AFTER THIS OCCURRED. PROB CONTRIBUTED BY LOW TIME INST PLT, AND HELPED BY RECENT PARTIAL PANEL TRAINING, AND THE PLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH A BACKUP ARTIFICIAL HORIZON ON COPLT'S SIDE. FUTURE BENEFIT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM HAVING BACKUP WITH DC DRIVEN INSTEAD OF BOTH ARTIFICIAL HORIZONS BEING AIR DRIVEN. THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT LCL AVIONICS SHOP. THE PLANE WS THEN FERRIED TO HOME BASE AOH, IN VMC WITH THE INOP EQUIP LABELED 'INOP.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.