Narrative:

I was dispatched on a mission at XZ30 on a sunday evening. In order to expedite my mission, I did not file an IFR flight plan because my first stop was 15 mi from my departure point (hwd to sfo). Hwd was VFR, but sfo had just gone IFR and there was also a runway change. I contacted approach control and was handed off to several frequencys before I finally received a squawk code and a clearance before entering class B and class C airspace. After entering IMC, I was assigned several vectors and altitudes in order to get vectors for an ILS into sfo. After failing to maintain the proper headings, ATC asked me if I was in trouble and if I needed any special assistance. It was not until then, that I realized that my RMI was inoperative. I tried to troubleshoot in order to rectify the problem but I became task saturated on vectors while trying to reach for the proper approach plate. I became disoriented and was unable to maintain assigned headings and altitudes in a busy airspace. I became task saturated because I tried to perform several tasks in a short period of time while on vectors to final. I tried to troubleshoot, navigation, search for approach plates, and fly with a flashlight shining onto the magnetic compass. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the failure of the radio magnetic indicator was that the circuit breaker was found tripped and not pwring the indicator. The reporter said maintenance reset the breaker and the system operated ok with no subsequent reports. The reporter said the FAA has made contact with the reporter.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C421 ON ENTERING IMC CONDITIONS THE RADIO MAGNETIC INDICATOR FAILED RESULTING IN CTLR INTERVENTION.

Narrative: I WAS DISPATCHED ON A MISSION AT XZ30 ON A SUNDAY EVENING. IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE MY MISSION, I DID NOT FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN BECAUSE MY FIRST STOP WAS 15 MI FROM MY DEP POINT (HWD TO SFO). HWD WAS VFR, BUT SFO HAD JUST GONE IFR AND THERE WAS ALSO A RWY CHANGE. I CONTACTED APCH CTL AND WAS HANDED OFF TO SEVERAL FREQS BEFORE I FINALLY RECEIVED A SQUAWK CODE AND A CLRNC BEFORE ENTERING CLASS B AND CLASS C AIRSPACE. AFTER ENTERING IMC, I WAS ASSIGNED SEVERAL VECTORS AND ALTS IN ORDER TO GET VECTORS FOR AN ILS INTO SFO. AFTER FAILING TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER HDGS, ATC ASKED ME IF I WAS IN TROUBLE AND IF I NEEDED ANY SPECIAL ASSISTANCE. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THEN, THAT I REALIZED THAT MY RMI WAS INOP. I TRIED TO TROUBLESHOOT IN ORDER TO RECTIFY THE PROB BUT I BECAME TASK SATURATED ON VECTORS WHILE TRYING TO REACH FOR THE PROPER APCH PLATE. I BECAME DISORIENTED AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED HDGS AND ALTS IN A BUSY AIRSPACE. I BECAME TASK SATURATED BECAUSE I TRIED TO PERFORM SEVERAL TASKS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHILE ON VECTORS TO FINAL. I TRIED TO TROUBLESHOOT, NAV, SEARCH FOR APCH PLATES, AND FLY WITH A FLASHLIGHT SHINING ONTO THE MAGNETIC COMPASS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FAILURE OF THE RADIO MAGNETIC INDICATOR WAS THAT THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS FOUND TRIPPED AND NOT PWRING THE INDICATOR. THE RPTR SAID MAINT RESET THE BREAKER AND THE SYS OPERATED OK WITH NO SUBSEQUENT RPTS. THE RPTR SAID THE FAA HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE RPTR.

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.