A PA32 pilot loses his vacuum pump and associated instruments on a flight to gulfport. He presses on...

Attributes
ACN	398390
Time
Date	199803
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gpt
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gpt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 525 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	398390
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After reaching cruise altitude 6000 ft for trip from columbus, GA, to gulfport, ms, attitude indictor and directional gyro stopped functioning due to failure of vacuum pump. Flight WX was clear and gpt reported 1500 ft broken, so I decided to continue using compass and (non IFR) GPS for navigation. When I passed mobile, mobile approach reported gpt 800 ft overcast. I elected to try to get in gpt knowing I had plenty of fuel to return to mob. Mob was 1500 ft broken at that time. I continued toward gpt seeking and receiving lower altitude to get under increasing clouds. Down to 2000 ft I entered IMC. Gpt approach offered VOR approach which I declined because of pt. They offered DME (13 mi arc) but I was already inside the arc. We agreed on a surveillance approach. During the approach I had a hard time following the required constant 'start turn, stop turn' instructions. Also, I had some difficulty in maintaining wings level without altitude indicator, using only turn indicator. Because, I think at least in part, of constant communication required for approach, I missed instructions to descend to MDA and had to be sent back out to repeat the approach. On second approach I delayed descent again, but finally saw runway and was able to circle and land safely. Judgement errors: continuing into IMC without vacuum system working, not keeping up on partial panel skills, and not following ATC instructions. P.south. I learned plenty from this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32 PLT LOSES HIS VACUUM PUMP AND ASSOCIATED INSTS ON A FLT TO GULFPORT. HE PRESSES ON, THINKING THAT THE WX RPTED WILL ALLOW A VISUAL APCH. HE ENDS UP RECEIVING A SURVEILLANCE APCH TO GPT, TWO OF THEM.

Narrative: AFTER REACHING CRUISE ALT 6000 FT FOR TRIP FROM COLUMBUS, GA, TO GULFPORT, MS, ATTITUDE INDICTOR AND DIRECTIONAL GYRO STOPPED FUNCTIONING DUE TO FAILURE OF VACUUM PUMP. FLT WX WAS CLR AND GPT RPTED 1500 FT BROKEN, SO I DECIDED TO CONTINUE USING COMPASS AND (NON IFR) GPS FOR NAV. WHEN I PASSED MOBILE, MOBILE APCH RPTED GPT 800 FT OVCST. I ELECTED TO TRY TO GET IN GPT KNOWING I HAD PLENTY OF FUEL TO RETURN TO MOB. MOB WAS 1500 FT BROKEN AT THAT TIME. I CONTINUED TOWARD GPT SEEKING AND RECEIVING LOWER ALT TO GET UNDER INCREASING CLOUDS. DOWN TO 2000 FT I ENTERED IMC. GPT APCH OFFERED VOR APCH WHICH I DECLINED BECAUSE OF PT. THEY OFFERED DME (13 MI ARC) BUT I WAS ALREADY INSIDE THE ARC. WE AGREED ON A SURVEILLANCE APCH. DURING THE APCH I HAD A HARD TIME FOLLOWING THE REQUIRED CONSTANT 'START TURN, STOP TURN' INSTRUCTIONS. ALSO, I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING WINGS LEVEL WITHOUT ALT INDICATOR, USING ONLY TURN INDICATOR. BECAUSE, I THINK AT LEAST IN PART, OF CONSTANT COM REQUIRED FOR APCH, I MISSED INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND TO MDA AND HAD TO BE SENT BACK OUT TO REPEAT THE APCH. ON SECOND APCH I DELAYED DSCNT AGAIN, BUT FINALLY SAW RWY AND WAS ABLE TO CIRCLE AND LAND SAFELY. JUDGEMENT ERRORS: CONTINUING INTO IMC WITHOUT VACUUM SYS WORKING, NOT KEEPING UP ON PARTIAL PANEL SKILLS, AND NOT FOLLOWING ATC INSTRUCTIONS. P.S. I LEARNED PLENTY FROM THIS INCIDENT.

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.

A PA32 pilot loses his vacuum pump and associated instruments on a flight to gulfport. He presses on, thinking that the WX reported will allow a visual approach. He ends up receiving a surveillance approach to gpt, two of them.