Pilot of an small transport twin lost directional control during a non precision approach due to a faulty directional gyro. His windshield also iced over except for the hot plate portion.

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Attributes
ACN	462040
Time
Date	200002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fsd.airport
State Reference	SD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 2650 agl bound upper : 3400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fsd.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 875 flight time type : 11
ASRS Report	462040
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : heading indicator other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Relatively new plane I just purchased, and the HSI had been erratic, not holding course or following turns very well. Plane had been sitting a long time and thought it was only stiff and would improve, which at first it seemed to do. With small course changes it was working ok, but when approach gave me final turn to intercept the course, it was almost a 160 degree change, and HSI went crazy as far as knowing my position. I started turn and descent into IMC, and was trying to watch magnetic compass and VOR #2, but with descent and turbulence, was impossible to really stabilize course. I wound up well to left of course chasing the needle, not knowing my heading. When I broke out at about 1200 ft AGL, had a lot of ice on windshield except for hot plate, so it took me a few mins to find airport, and all was ok. I canceled IFR a few moments after breaking out, good visibility and cloud clearance. Moral: don't try instrument approach with faulty directional gyro unless it is prepared for and absolutely necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMT TWIN LOST DIRECTIONAL CTL DURING A NON PRECISION APCH DUE TO A FAULTY DIRECTIONAL GYRO. HIS WINDSHIELD ALSO ICED OVER EXCEPT FOR THE HOT PLATE PORTION.

Narrative: RELATIVELY NEW PLANE I JUST PURCHASED, AND THE HSI HAD BEEN ERRATIC, NOT HOLDING COURSE OR FOLLOWING TURNS VERY WELL. PLANE HAD BEEN SITTING A LONG TIME AND THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY STIFF AND WOULD IMPROVE, WHICH AT FIRST IT SEEMED TO DO. WITH SMALL COURSE CHANGES IT WAS WORKING OK, BUT WHEN APCH GAVE ME FINAL TURN TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE, IT WAS ALMOST A 160 DEG CHANGE, AND HSI WENT CRAZY AS FAR AS KNOWING MY POS. I STARTED TURN AND DSCNT INTO IMC, AND WAS TRYING TO WATCH MAGNETIC COMPASS AND VOR #2, BUT WITH DSCNT AND TURB, WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO REALLY STABILIZE COURSE. I WOUND UP WELL TO L OF COURSE CHASING THE NEEDLE, NOT KNOWING MY HDG. WHEN I BROKE OUT AT ABOUT 1200 FT AGL, HAD A LOT OF ICE ON WINDSHIELD EXCEPT FOR HOT PLATE, SO IT TOOK ME A FEW MINS TO FIND ARPT, AND ALL WAS OK. I CANCELED IFR A FEW MOMENTS AFTER BREAKING OUT, GOOD VISIBILITY AND CLOUD CLRNC. MORAL: DON'T TRY INST APCH WITH FAULTY DIRECTIONAL GYRO UNLESS IT IS PREPARED FOR AND ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

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.