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C172 loses its vacuum system. Its gyro and altimeter sensing is affected. Reporter finds need for an IFR with approaching WX and, after explaining situation to controllers, gets radar vectors to destination airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 379453 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zdc |
| State Reference | DC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 379453 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
While flying VFR with flight following, I experienced a vacuum pump failure. I continued flying without difficulty. Conditions ahead appeared to require IFR clearance, so I advised the controller I had been assigned to for flight following that I had experienced a vacuum pump failure and therefore the heading indicator and the altitude indicator were inoperative. I also told him that conditions ahead appeared to require an IFR clearance. He asked me whether I preferred to land or file IFR. I indicated that since I was having no problem I would prefer to file IFR. He issued an IFR clearance, provided no gyro vectors to the airport. I landed with no problem. Since then, I have learned that he probably should not have issued the clearance because you should not enter IFR conditions with an inoperative vacuum pump. He should have advised me of that.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 LOSES ITS VACUUM SYS. ITS GYRO AND ALTIMETER SENSING IS AFFECTED. RPTR FINDS NEED FOR AN IFR WITH APCHING WX AND, AFTER EXPLAINING SIT TO CTLRS, GETS RADAR VECTORS TO DEST ARPT.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING, I EXPERIENCED A VACUUM PUMP FAILURE. I CONTINUED FLYING WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. CONDITIONS AHEAD APPEARED TO REQUIRE IFR CLRNC, SO I ADVISED THE CTLR I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO FOR FLT FOLLOWING THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED A VACUUM PUMP FAILURE AND THEREFORE THE HDG INDICATOR AND THE ALT INDICATOR WERE INOP. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT CONDITIONS AHEAD APPEARED TO REQUIRE AN IFR CLRNC. HE ASKED ME WHETHER I PREFERRED TO LAND OR FILE IFR. I INDICATED THAT SINCE I WAS HAVING NO PROB I WOULD PREFER TO FILE IFR. HE ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC, PROVIDED NO GYRO VECTORS TO THE ARPT. I LANDED WITH NO PROB. SINCE THEN, I HAVE LEARNED THAT HE PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE ISSUED THE CLRNC BECAUSE YOU SHOULD NOT ENTER IFR CONDITIONS WITH AN INOP VACUUM PUMP. HE SHOULD HAVE ADVISED ME OF THAT.
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.