A non instrument rated private pilot lost his instruments while VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	256476
Time
Date	199311
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ffu
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : slc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	256476
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I departed ols at XA00 am MST flying direct slc. Trip uneventful until approximately 40-45 mi south of slc. I was flying at an altitude of 10500 ft MSL on top first officer a scattered cloud layer in haze/fog when visibility started dropping. I proceeded to make a 180 degree turn to the right. When my attitude indicator fell over, I glanced at my directional gyro. It was spinning, so I glanced over at my vacuum gauge and noticed I had lost all pressure. By then, I looked at my turn and bank indicator and noticed that my turn had developed into a sharper turn than I thought. Immediately, I leveled my wings. By then I was in IMC conditions. I contacted slc approach on 124.30, which I had been monitoring anyway. I informed the controller that I needed vectors out of IFR conditions and informed him that I had lost my vacuum pump and which gauges. The controller gave me minimum altitude that I should stay at and gave me vectors back to visual conditions. He then cleared me to enter class B airspace, landing uneventfully. The controller that was handling the traffic that late afternoon did an excellent job.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NON INST RATED PVT PLT LOST HIS INSTS WHILE VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED OLS AT XA00 AM MST FLYING DIRECT SLC. TRIP UNEVENTFUL UNTIL APPROX 40-45 MI S OF SLC. I WAS FLYING AT AN ALT OF 10500 FT MSL ON TOP FO A SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER IN HAZE/FOG WHEN VISIBILITY STARTED DROPPING. I PROCEEDED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN TO THE R. WHEN MY ATTITUDE INDICATOR FELL OVER, I GLANCED AT MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO. IT WAS SPINNING, SO I GLANCED OVER AT MY VACUUM GAUGE AND NOTICED I HAD LOST ALL PRESSURE. BY THEN, I LOOKED AT MY TURN AND BANK INDICATOR AND NOTICED THAT MY TURN HAD DEVELOPED INTO A SHARPER TURN THAN I THOUGHT. IMMEDIATELY, I LEVELED MY WINGS. BY THEN I WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS. I CONTACTED SLC APCH ON 124.30, WHICH I HAD BEEN MONITORING ANYWAY. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT I NEEDED VECTORS OUT OF IFR CONDITIONS AND INFORMED HIM THAT I HAD LOST MY VACUUM PUMP AND WHICH GAUGES. THE CTLR GAVE ME MINIMUM ALT THAT I SHOULD STAY AT AND GAVE ME VECTORS BACK TO VISUAL CONDITIONS. HE THEN CLRED ME TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE, LNDG UNEVENTFULLY. THE CTLR THAT WAS HANDLING THE TFC THAT LATE AFTERNOON 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.