Small aircraft pilot in IMC on IFR plan loses vacuum pump, gyros, and control of his aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	151110
Time
Date	199007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psi
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : pia
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	151110
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were in mixed VMC/IMC, in level cruise at 3000' MSL on course when we were cleared to 4000'. The climb put us in solid IMC when the vacuum annunciator light went on. The suction gauge went to zero. I called approach and told the controller the vacuum had quit. He asked if I wanted vectors to bmi. I refused, asking for 3000' to get ground contact. I wanted to get the aircraft stabilized in level flight back where I could see the ground. He asked again the nature of my problem, which I restated and he gave me a left turn to 360 degree for traffic. I attempted to comply, which I now realize was a mistake. It led me to an unusual attitude situation, which I arrested at 2900' but on a more westerly heading. The controller apparently did not understand what was happening to me as he asked again, 'the nature of my problem.' I told him no gyro. I was now southwest of the VOR, heading away instead of toward it. But with the ragged ceiling I was in MVFR conditions. The controller would not let me descend to 2700', when I asked him earlier, to clear the clouds. I was out of IMC and told him I would cancel IFR. He asked me to repeat that, which I did. I continued to a safe landing. I believe the controller and I share the blame. I should have made absolutely sure he understood what loss of vacuum meant and could not accept turns initially. He should have handled us with priority even though I had not declared an emergency. He gave me headings which I obviously was not doing well, since I was trying to keep the airplane right side up west/O tearing the wings off. A 'start/stop turn' handling would have been appropriate. Another aircraft in the vicinity told him there was good 4000 VFR 10 mi north of the VOR, which there was but the ragged ceiling at our altitude really helped us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT IN IMC ON IFR PLAN LOSES VACUUM PUMP, GYROS, AND CTL OF HIS ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE IN MIXED VMC/IMC, IN LEVEL CRUISE AT 3000' MSL ON COURSE WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO 4000'. THE CLB PUT US IN SOLID IMC WHEN THE VACUUM ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT WENT ON. THE SUCTION GAUGE WENT TO ZERO. I CALLED APCH AND TOLD THE CTLR THE VACUUM HAD QUIT. HE ASKED IF I WANTED VECTORS TO BMI. I REFUSED, ASKING FOR 3000' TO GET GND CONTACT. I WANTED TO GET THE ACFT STABILIZED IN LEVEL FLT BACK WHERE I COULD SEE THE GND. HE ASKED AGAIN THE NATURE OF MY PROB, WHICH I RESTATED AND HE GAVE ME A L TURN TO 360 DEG FOR TFC. I ATTEMPTED TO COMPLY, WHICH I NOW REALIZE WAS A MISTAKE. IT LED ME TO AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE SITUATION, WHICH I ARRESTED AT 2900' BUT ON A MORE WESTERLY HDG. THE CTLR APPARENTLY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME AS HE ASKED AGAIN, 'THE NATURE OF MY PROB.' I TOLD HIM NO GYRO. I WAS NOW SW OF THE VOR, HDG AWAY INSTEAD OF TOWARD IT. BUT WITH THE RAGGED CEILING I WAS IN MVFR CONDITIONS. THE CTLR WOULD NOT LET ME DSND TO 2700', WHEN I ASKED HIM EARLIER, TO CLR THE CLOUDS. I WAS OUT OF IMC AND TOLD HIM I WOULD CANCEL IFR. HE ASKED ME TO REPEAT THAT, WHICH I DID. I CONTINUED TO A SAFE LNDG. I BELIEVE THE CTLR AND I SHARE THE BLAME. I SHOULD HAVE MADE ABSOLUTELY SURE HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT LOSS OF VACUUM MEANT AND COULD NOT ACCEPT TURNS INITIALLY. HE SHOULD HAVE HANDLED US WITH PRIORITY EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOT DECLARED AN EMER. HE GAVE ME HDGS WHICH I OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT DOING WELL, SINCE I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE R SIDE UP W/O TEARING THE WINGS OFF. A 'START/STOP TURN' HANDLING WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE. ANOTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY TOLD HIM THERE WAS GOOD 4000 VFR 10 MI N OF THE VOR, WHICH THERE WAS BUT THE RAGGED CEILING AT OUR ALT REALLY HELPED US.

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.