GA small aircraft had failure of gyro horizon causing altitude overshoot on climb.

Attributes
ACN	81689
Time
Date	198802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : txk
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : txk
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 8000
ASRS Report	81689
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Assigned an altitude to climb to on takeoff. In climb out developed vacuum failure. When detected, in transiting to needleball, exceeded assigned altitude of 800' and was pretty sloppy in holding heading until I was able to get things under control. No known problem with other traffic, was complaint from controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA HAD FAILURE OF GYRO HORIZON CAUSING ALT OVERSHOOT ON CLIMB.

Narrative: ASSIGNED AN ALT TO CLB TO ON TKOF. IN CLBOUT DEVELOPED VACUUM FAILURE. WHEN DETECTED, IN TRANSITING TO NEEDLEBALL, EXCEEDED ASSIGNED ALT OF 800' AND WAS PRETTY SLOPPY IN HOLDING HDG UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET THINGS UNDER CONTROL. NO KNOWN PROB WITH OTHER TFC, WAS COMPLAINT FROM CTLR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.