A be-35 pilot became very busy in bumpy air on the tpa IFR arrival when his altitude alerter and ele...

Attributes
ACN	1068351
Time
Date	201302
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	VDF.Airport
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	DVFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Altitude Alert
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150 Flight Crew Total 13000 Flight Crew Type 100
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

Narrative:

Normal flight from departure to destination. The ride had been bumpy the whole way; so we were interested in getting on the ground. We were tracking toward the IAF for the ILS to our destination. During the descent; ATC descended us to 3;000 ft; then to 2;000 ft; then amended the altitude to 2;500 ft; and started to call traffic. Right at the highest workload time (naturally); I hear a pop; and lose the electric trim and the altitude alerter (which; I found out; is powered by the same circuit breaker). Now I've got a handful of airplane that I have to switch to manual trimming; lose my altitude alerter; and ATC starts in with the vectors and calling traffic. Though an experienced pilot; I am used to 121 two pilot operations and have only started flying single pilot GA again recently. I was very surprised how one or two simple things can spike the workload almost instantaneously. I managed to keep the airplane on altitude and heading. We got cleared for the visual; at which time we canceled IFR; and proceeded visually; and had to do a 360 to space behind another aircraft on final. Moral of the story...watch the distractions. When they creep up on you; play defense.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE-35 pilot became very busy in bumpy air on the TPA IFR arrival when his Altitude Alerter and Electric Elevator Trim failed while ATC was issuing altitude changes and traffic.

Narrative: Normal flight from departure to destination. The ride had been bumpy the whole way; so we were interested in getting on the ground. We were tracking toward the IAF for the ILS to our destination. During the descent; ATC descended us to 3;000 FT; then to 2;000 FT; then amended the altitude to 2;500 FT; and started to call traffic. Right at the highest workload time (naturally); I hear a pop; and lose the electric trim and the altitude alerter (which; I found out; is powered by the same circuit breaker). Now I've got a handful of airplane that I have to switch to manual trimming; lose my altitude alerter; and ATC starts in with the vectors and calling traffic. Though an experienced pilot; I am used to 121 two pilot operations and have only started flying single pilot GA again recently. I was very surprised how one or two simple things can spike the workload almost instantaneously. I managed to keep the airplane on altitude and heading. We got cleared for the visual; at which time we canceled IFR; and proceeded visually; and had to do a 360 to space behind another aircraft on final. Moral of the story...watch the distractions. When they creep up on you; play defense.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

A be-35 pilot became very busy in bumpy air on the tpa IFR arrival when his altitude alerter and electric elevator trim failed while ATC was issuing altitude changes and traffic.