Simulators just don't cut it, burn me at the stake, but they don't actually fly.
From what I read in most of these unusual attitude crashes, they occurred at night or in IMC and in each case the problem was the pilot's lack of basic instrument flying skill as he attempted recovery to level flight.
Granted that airline simulators are not designed to replicate high G forces that can occur in attempted recovery from such events as a steep spiral dive or extreme pitch-up . However the flight instrument indications are the required fidelity. This is where simulator training in unusual attitude recoveries come into their own. It teaches recovery
on instruments