Loss of flight instruments in IMC. Fltassist.

Attributes
ACN	103554
Time
Date	198901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mic airport : fcm
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 800
ASRS Report	103554
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While on radar vectors en route to crystal, I experienced a pitot/static system failure. While maintaining 3000' my altimeter suddenly dropped to approximately 2500' and my vsi showed 2000 FPM descent. At the same time this happened, approach called asking my altitude. My vsi was normal at this time and my indicated altitude agreed with what approach said they were reading so I elected to continue to crystal. In a few seconds I lost my airspeed indicator (showed 0), so I asked approach to let me find VFR. I was allowed to descend to 1500' while turning south towards fcm. I broke out of the clouds with fly cloud field directly off my left wing. I was turned over to fly cloud tower and allowed to land. I have a very light accumulation of mixed ice on the leading edge of the plane. Pitot heat was working on preflight. When I turned it on prior to entering the clouds, there was a bunch of static coming through the radio. On the ground I checked pitot heat again and it didn't work. The pitot heat has been repaired since at crystal shamrock, crystal airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF FLT INSTRUMENTS IN IMC. FLTASSIST.

Narrative: WHILE ON RADAR VECTORS ENRTE TO CRYSTAL, I EXPERIENCED A PITOT/STATIC SYS FAILURE. WHILE MAINTAINING 3000' MY ALTIMETER SUDDENLY DROPPED TO APPROX 2500' AND MY VSI SHOWED 2000 FPM DSCNT. AT THE SAME TIME THIS HAPPENED, APCH CALLED ASKING MY ALT. MY VSI WAS NORMAL AT THIS TIME AND MY INDICATED ALT AGREED WITH WHAT APCH SAID THEY WERE READING SO I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO CRYSTAL. IN A FEW SECS I LOST MY AIRSPD INDICATOR (SHOWED 0), SO I ASKED APCH TO LET ME FIND VFR. I WAS ALLOWED TO DSND TO 1500' WHILE TURNING S TOWARDS FCM. I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS WITH FLY CLOUD FIELD DIRECTLY OFF MY LEFT WING. I WAS TURNED OVER TO FLY CLOUD TWR AND ALLOWED TO LAND. I HAVE A VERY LIGHT ACCUMULATION OF MIXED ICE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PLANE. PITOT HEAT WAS WORKING ON PREFLT. WHEN I TURNED IT ON PRIOR TO ENTERING THE CLOUDS, THERE WAS A BUNCH OF STATIC COMING THROUGH THE RADIO. ON THE GND I CHKED PITOT HEAT AGAIN AND IT DIDN'T WORK. THE PITOT HEAT HAS BEEN REPAIRED SINCE AT CRYSTAL SHAMROCK, CRYSTAL ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.