Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10; Flight Crew Total 700; Flight Crew Type 400
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution
Human Factors; Aircraft
On an IFR flight plan in the clouds we lost our artificial horizon (I was flying the aircraft and my son was working the radios). He first noticed that we were off course (30) and high (200); we leveled the aircraft and noticed that the artificial horizon was drifting at that point we discussed what we should do and asked for a turn to the South and lower when able to get below the clouds (ceiling was 3700 MSL). The artificial horizon was intermittent remainder of flight; returned to departure airport in VFR conditions.
[Report narrative contained no additional information]
Two C182 pilots experience failure of the artificial horizon on an IFR flight plan in IMC. The pilot not flying is first to detect altitude and heading deviations and alert the pilot flying. Flight descends into VMC and returns to the departure airport.