A pilot who loses outside visual references and begins to feel that a wing is low when the instruments show the wings level should:

Choices

• Trust the bodily sensation and correct the perceived bank

  Acting on the false sensation is exactly what leads to loss of control; the senses are unreliable without an outside horizon.

• ✓ Disregard the false sensation and control the airplane by reference to the instrumentscorrect

  Without reliable outside references the vestibular and kinesthetic senses are unreliable, so the pilot must fly the instruments.

• Close the eyes briefly to reset the inner ear

  This does not restore orientation and removes the instrument cross-check the pilot needs.

• Increase power and climb until the sensation passes

  Climbing does not resolve disorientation and can worsen an inadvertent IMC encounter.