M-20 K (231) / Encore
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 450; Flight Crew Type 115
Troubleshooting; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft
Cleared to takeoff in low overcast. Was given Runway heading and climb to a 3;000 feet altitude. While transitioning to instruments roughly 200 feet AGL I noticed my artificial horizon already canted. I could still see the runway environment and knew I wasn't banked. I panicked and assumed I had lost my vacuum. I just began to climb until I cleared the overcast layer. By that time I had already broken altitude restriction and was VFR.I haven't been able to recreate undo cant in the artificial horizon again. Not sure if it was my inexperience or the instrument.
Mooney pilot reported an attitude indicator failure during takeoff into IMC; resulting in an altitude deviation.