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A commercial instrument rated pilot flying an RV6 reports a loss of his turn and bank indicator creating a distraction resulting in a deviation from his assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 487600 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200010 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zid.artcc |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc artcc : zkc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Experimental |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial cruise : level descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 730 flight time type : 130 |
| ASRS Report | 487600 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During IFR flight from day to hef, the turn coordinator performance deteriorated until it was indicating a hard turn to right (full deflection) during level flight. When conditions became VMC, I informed ATC of the problem, and remained VMC until reaching vicinity of hef. Hef ATIS reported 800 ft broken, but conditions appeared to be overcast when I arrived. Although I was technically VMC, the horizon was obscured by clouds and it was getting dark. No VFR areas with visibility to ground were near. I elected to shoot the ILS into hef without the turn coordinator rather than fly around in worsening conditions searching for a VFR airport. I had a standby vacuum system, so I judged the risk of artificial horizon failure to be nil. Approach and landing were completed without incident, and turn coordinator was returned to manufacturer for repair. During the flight, I had several altitude excursions of 200-400 ft from assigned altitude, caused by being distraction by the turn coordinator problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A COMMERCIAL INST RATED PLT FLYING AN RV6 RPTS A LOSS OF HIS TURN AND BANK INDICATOR CREATING A DISTR RESULTING IN A DEV FROM HIS ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: DURING IFR FLT FROM DAY TO HEF, THE TURN COORDINATOR PERFORMANCE DETERIORATED UNTIL IT WAS INDICATING A HARD TURN TO R (FULL DEFLECTION) DURING LEVEL FLT. WHEN CONDITIONS BECAME VMC, I INFORMED ATC OF THE PROB, AND REMAINED VMC UNTIL REACHING VICINITY OF HEF. HEF ATIS RPTED 800 FT BROKEN, BUT CONDITIONS APPEARED TO BE OVCST WHEN I ARRIVED. ALTHOUGH I WAS TECHNICALLY VMC, THE HORIZON WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS AND IT WAS GETTING DARK. NO VFR AREAS WITH VISIBILITY TO GND WERE NEAR. I ELECTED TO SHOOT THE ILS INTO HEF WITHOUT THE TURN COORDINATOR RATHER THAN FLY AROUND IN WORSENING CONDITIONS SEARCHING FOR A VFR ARPT. I HAD A STANDBY VACUUM SYS, SO I JUDGED THE RISK OF ARTIFICIAL HORIZON FAILURE TO BE NIL. APCH AND LNDG WERE COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND TURN COORDINATOR WAS RETURNED TO MANUFACTURER FOR REPAIR. DURING THE FLT, I HAD SEVERAL ALT EXCURSIONS OF 200-400 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT, CAUSED BY BEING DISTR BY THE TURN COORDINATOR PROB.
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.