Which of the following is a valid partial sequence for inadvertent IMC recovery?

• A. Announce Inadvertent IMC, then Establish Instrument Scan
• B. Establish Safe Altitude, Airspeed, and Heading, then Announce Inadvertent IMC
• C. Announce Inadvertent IMC, then Contact ATC
• D. Establish Instrument Scan, then Establish Safe Altitude, Airspeed, and Heading

Answer: (A)

Recognizing and recovering from inadvertent IMC is about restoring control by relying on instruments and clear crew communication. The first step is to announce that inadvertent IMC has occurred. This publicly acknowledges the degraded visual and alerts the crew and, if appropriate, ATC, so everyone understands the situation and can react with prioritized actions.

Immediately following the announcement, you must establish an instrument reference by performing a disciplined instrument scan. In IMC you have no reliable outside cues, so you rely on the attitude, altitude, airspeed, and heading indicators to determine and restore the aircraft’s attitude and flight path. This reorientation is the foundation for safe recovery.

Why this order is best: declaring the situation ensures awareness and focus, while starting the instrument scan right away provides the means to regain control. Delaying the scan to set altitude, airspeed, or heading can compound disorientation and delay stabilization. Handing off to ATC or trying to set other parameters before reestablishing control can wait until after you’re稳态 in the cockpit.

So the correct approach is to announce the inadvertent IMC first, then establish the instrument scan.