Private pilot of an small aircraft sel lost control of the aircraft during departure climb in IMC, w...

Attributes
ACN	392088
Time
Date	199801
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1380 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	392088
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Takeoff was on runway 31. I was instructed to turn right to 90 degrees, climb and maintain 2000 ft. Subsequent instructions were to turn right to 150 degrees, climb and maintain 7000 ft. Prior to entering the clouds at 900 ft AGL I engaged the autoplt. After entering the clouds I received the heading 150 degrees, 7000 ft instruction. I turned the heading bug to 150 degrees and continued to climb. The first indication that I had of something wrong was that the turn did not stop at the 150 degree heading. At that point I disengaged the autoplt and attempted to bring the heading back to 150 degrees. Then I noticed that I had a negative rate of climb. To correct that I pulled back on the yoke. At this point the 2 vacuum gyroscopes were spinning so fast they could not be read. The rate of climb continued to a higher negative rate eventually hitting the peg at -3000 FPM. I continued to pull back on the yoke to correct this problem and the controller asked me to say my altitude. I responded to him that I had a vacuum failure. He asked me to say altitude again and again I responded saying vacuum failure. Someone else heard me and relayed my message. After pulling what seemed to be very high 'G' forces the vertical speed indicator moved to the positive side. In order to arrest the climb I then pushed on the yoke resulting in some negative 'G' forces with charts and approach plates floating around the cockpit. We went down again and again I pulled the aircraft back up. We went over the top again with the stall horn sounding. This time I think we entered a spin to the left. I corrected for this and got the aircraft into a positive rate of climb. This time, I think at about 3000 ft, we seemed to stabilize and the 2 vacuum instruments started working. We continued on up to 5000 ft and out of the clouds. We then continued on to our destination. There I had the vacuum system inspected. No problem was found. At this time I suspect we were upset by the autoplt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL LOST CTL OF THE ACFT DURING DEP CLB IN IMC, WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED. WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WAS TURNING PAST THE PRESET ASSIGNED HEADING AND DSNDING AT A RAPID RATE, HE DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND AFTER SEVERAL CLBS, STALLS AND SPINS, REGAINED ACFT CTL. HE SUBSEQUENTLY CLBED ON TOP AND SUCCESSFULLY CONTINUED TO DEST.

Narrative: TKOF WAS ON RWY 31. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN R TO 90 DEGS, CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT. SUBSEQUENT INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO TURN R TO 150 DEGS, CLB AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. PRIOR TO ENTERING THE CLOUDS AT 900 FT AGL I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. AFTER ENTERING THE CLOUDS I RECEIVED THE HDG 150 DEGS, 7000 FT INSTRUCTION. I TURNED THE HEADING BUG TO 150 DEGS AND CONTINUED TO CLB. THE FIRST INDICATION THAT I HAD OF SOMETHING WRONG WAS THAT THE TURN DID NOT STOP AT THE 150 DEG HDG. AT THAT POINT I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE HEADING BACK TO 150 DEGS. THEN I NOTICED THAT I HAD A NEGATIVE RATE OF CLB. TO CORRECT THAT I PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE. AT THIS POINT THE 2 VACUUM GYROSCOPES WERE SPINNING SO FAST THEY COULD NOT BE READ. THE RATE OF CLB CONTINUED TO A HIGHER NEGATIVE RATE EVENTUALLY HITTING THE PEG AT -3000 FPM. I CONTINUED TO PULL BACK ON THE YOKE TO CORRECT THIS PROB AND THE CTLR ASKED ME TO SAY MY ALT. I RESPONDED TO HIM THAT I HAD A VACUUM FAILURE. HE ASKED ME TO SAY ALT AGAIN AND AGAIN I RESPONDED SAYING VACUUM FAILURE. SOMEONE ELSE HEARD ME AND RELAYED MY MESSAGE. AFTER PULLING WHAT SEEMED TO BE VERY HIGH 'G' FORCES THE VERT SPD INDICATOR MOVED TO THE POSITIVE SIDE. IN ORDER TO ARREST THE CLB I THEN PUSHED ON THE YOKE RESULTING IN SOME NEGATIVE 'G' FORCES WITH CHARTS AND APCH PLATES FLOATING AROUND THE COCKPIT. WE WENT DOWN AGAIN AND AGAIN I PULLED THE ACFT BACK UP. WE WENT OVER THE TOP AGAIN WITH THE STALL HORN SOUNDING. THIS TIME I THINK WE ENTERED A SPIN TO THE L. I CORRECTED FOR THIS AND GOT THE ACFT INTO A POSITIVE RATE OF CLB. THIS TIME, I THINK AT ABOUT 3000 FT, WE SEEMED TO STABILIZE AND THE 2 VACUUM INSTS STARTED WORKING. WE CONTINUED ON UP TO 5000 FT AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS. WE THEN CONTINUED ON TO OUR DEST. THERE I HAD THE VACUUM SYS INSPECTED. NO PROB WAS FOUND. AT THIS TIME I SUSPECT WE WERE UPSET BY THE AUTOPLT.

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.