ATP GA pilot tells of pilot distraction task while experiencing aircraft equipment problems malfunct...

Attributes
ACN	262340
Time
Date	199401
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n13
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4900
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : avp tracon : mem
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	262340
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight began with visibility over 6 mi and began to deteriorate as flight progressed. Ground fog was forming. Ceilings were initially over 3000 MSL then went down as I approached the mountains. I had a remote compass gyro computer failure which failed the HSI/heading and autoplt. At that time I called ATC, reported the failure, and requested an IFR due to the lowering conditions. I received a discrete code and clearance to climb to 4000 and do the approach to N13. Initially I had a difficult time holding track due to distraction of finding out what was working and what wasn't and why. (There was no flag.) I did the approach and missed due to the low ceilings. I did see ground at one point and tried briefly to descend through the hole but entered the clouds again. At that time I climbed to 4900 and reported the missed to ATC. I should have leveled off at 4000 ft. I believe I should not have been so distracted by the equipment failure. I had the training, and currency to fly the aircraft well without the gyro system. The distraction was the factor in degradation of flying skill. Reverting back to basics and not trying to troubleshoot a failure in deteriorating WX would be a better plan of action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATP GA PLT TELLS OF PLT DISTR TASK WHILE EXPERIENCING ACFT EQUIP PROBS MALFUNCTIONS BEFORE AND AFTER BECOMING SINGLE PLT IFR. DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE ARPT.

Narrative: FLT BEGAN WITH VISIBILITY OVER 6 MI AND BEGAN TO DETERIORATE AS FLT PROGRESSED. GND FOG WAS FORMING. CEILINGS WERE INITIALLY OVER 3000 MSL THEN WENT DOWN AS I APCHED THE MOUNTAINS. I HAD A REMOTE COMPASS GYRO COMPUTER FAILURE WHICH FAILED THE HSI/HDG AND AUTOPLT. AT THAT TIME I CALLED ATC, RPTED THE FAILURE, AND REQUESTED AN IFR DUE TO THE LOWERING CONDITIONS. I RECEIVED A DISCRETE CODE AND CLRNC TO CLB TO 4000 AND DO THE APCH TO N13. INITIALLY I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME HOLDING TRACK DUE TO DISTR OF FINDING OUT WHAT WAS WORKING AND WHAT WASN'T AND WHY. (THERE WAS NO FLAG.) I DID THE APCH AND MISSED DUE TO THE LOW CEILINGS. I DID SEE GND AT ONE POINT AND TRIED BRIEFLY TO DSND THROUGH THE HOLE BUT ENTERED THE CLOUDS AGAIN. AT THAT TIME I CLBED TO 4900 AND RPTED THE MISSED TO ATC. I SHOULD HAVE LEVELED OFF AT 4000 FT. I BELIEVE I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO DISTRACTED BY THE EQUIP FAILURE. I HAD THE TRAINING, AND CURRENCY TO FLY THE ACFT WELL WITHOUT THE GYRO SYS. THE DISTR WAS THE FACTOR IN DEGRADATION OF FLYING SKILL. REVERTING BACK TO BASICS AND NOT TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT A FAILURE IN DETERIORATING WX WOULD BE A BETTER PLAN OF ACTION.

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.

ATP GA pilot tells of pilot distraction task while experiencing aircraft equipment problems malfunctions before and after becoming single pilot IFR. Diversion to alternate airport.