Narrative:

The problem arose during flight from lock haven, PA to manchester, hn. The heading flag came on after 45 mins of flight en route at 5000' in IMC conditions. The dg (which is slaved in this airplane) would work intermittently until I was over keene VOR. At or about keene (after being turned over to mht approach control), I requested a change of destination to my alternate, mht, instead of laconia, nh and advised the controller of my gyro failure. I requested a no-gyro approach to runway 35 at mht. The controller vectored me for the approach, and when I failed to intercept the localizer properly, she started to ask many questions (in fact, cross-examine me) as to why I failed to successfully intercept. Comments like: 'we aren't going to do that next time, will we?'; 'only look at your wet compass when in level flight;' and 'I have a pilot/controller here and he says to ignore the D.G.' she was very condescending and added to the problem by her attitude. I had difficulty holding the localizer on the second attempt, and performed a missed approach (at or possibly slightly below decision height), as the controller screamed 'go missed! Go missed!' after the missed, she switched me to a controller who was a pilot. He vectored me with turns all the way to decision height (like a PAR west/O a G/south). At 500' MSL, the controller asked if I had visibility contact with the runway. I said no, then at (or possibly slightly below) decision height, I saw runway 35. My position was 1/4-1/2 mi left of course. I landed uneventfully. I believe my performance was affected greatly by the first controller's attitude, tone of voice, and apparent nervousness. The second controller remained calm, and did an excellent job.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TWIN HAD GYRO PROBLEMS AND WAS GIVEN A NO GYRO APCH TO MHT. PLT REPORTER CRITICAL OF ATC HANDLING.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE DURING FLT FROM LOCK HAVEN, PA TO MANCHESTER, HN. THE HDG FLAG CAME ON AFTER 45 MINS OF FLT ENRTE AT 5000' IN IMC CONDITIONS. THE DG (WHICH IS SLAVED IN THIS AIRPLANE) WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL I WAS OVER KEENE VOR. AT OR ABOUT KEENE (AFTER BEING TURNED OVER TO MHT APCH CTL), I REQUESTED A CHANGE OF DEST TO MY ALTERNATE, MHT, INSTEAD OF LACONIA, NH AND ADVISED THE CTLR OF MY GYRO FAILURE. I REQUESTED A NO-GYRO APCH TO RWY 35 AT MHT. THE CTLR VECTORED ME FOR THE APCH, AND WHEN I FAILED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC PROPERLY, SHE STARTED TO ASK MANY QUESTIONS (IN FACT, CROSS-EXAMINE ME) AS TO WHY I FAILED TO SUCCESSFULLY INTERCEPT. COMMENTS LIKE: 'WE AREN'T GOING TO DO THAT NEXT TIME, WILL WE?'; 'ONLY LOOK AT YOUR WET COMPASS WHEN IN LEVEL FLT;' AND 'I HAVE A PLT/CTLR HERE AND HE SAYS TO IGNORE THE D.G.' SHE WAS VERY CONDESCENDING AND ADDED TO THE PROB BY HER ATTITUDE. I HAD DIFFICULTY HOLDING THE LOC ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT, AND PERFORMED A MISSED APCH (AT OR POSSIBLY SLIGHTLY BELOW DECISION HEIGHT), AS THE CTLR SCREAMED 'GO MISSED! GO MISSED!' AFTER THE MISSED, SHE SWITCHED ME TO A CTLR WHO WAS A PLT. HE VECTORED ME WITH TURNS ALL THE WAY TO DECISION HEIGHT (LIKE A PAR W/O A G/S). AT 500' MSL, THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD VIS CONTACT WITH THE RWY. I SAID NO, THEN AT (OR POSSIBLY SLIGHTLY BELOW) DECISION HEIGHT, I SAW RWY 35. MY POS WAS 1/4-1/2 MI LEFT OF COURSE. I LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I BELIEVE MY PERFORMANCE WAS AFFECTED GREATLY BY THE FIRST CTLR'S ATTITUDE, TONE OF VOICE, AND APPARENT NERVOUSNESS. THE SECOND CTLR REMAINED CALM, AND DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.

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