Small aircraft loss of aircraft control as aircraft loses gyro after in flight encounter WX ice.

Attributes
ACN	169752
Time
Date	199102
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mop
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mbs
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	169752
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 170 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	169755
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On IFR training flight from lan to mop, 4000' MSL, later 3000' MSL. Approach had us on vectors 010 degrees to final approach for VOR 27 at mop. They cleared us to 2500' MSL. When we went into the clouds, we picked up ice really quickly and lost our gyros. We informed approach and they gave us no gyro vectors to proceed. At that moment my student was still PF. When it seemed to me that he had problems flying, I took over, while the aircraft was initiated in a right turn spiral down. At that time I had problems to recover and did not level the wings first. Since we had lot of ice picked up in just a couple of mins, I was afraid of stalling. Result was an altitude violation of +/-1000'. We leveled off at 1500' MSL (+/-800' AGL) with ground sight. Approach of course gave us an altitude alert. After 1-2 mins of thinking and decision making and talking to approach, we went on top again (4000' MSL) to make an ASR no gyro approach into mbs (runway 5). On top we lost all the ice (+/- 1 1/4') and saginaw reported that an aircraft just had left there west/O encountering ice at all. The final ASR approach to runway 5 went ok and we thanked the controling agencies. They at that moment did not require to write any reports. The fireman, though, came over for pilot's name and certificate #, owner of aircraft, operation and registration # of aircraft. Gyros were lost because of venturi-driven vacuum system which got iced up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOSS OF ACFT CTL AS ACFT LOSES GYRO AFTER IN FLT ENCOUNTER WX ICE.

Narrative: ON IFR TRNING FLT FROM LAN TO MOP, 4000' MSL, LATER 3000' MSL. APCH HAD US ON VECTORS 010 DEGS TO FINAL APCH FOR VOR 27 AT MOP. THEY CLRED US TO 2500' MSL. WHEN WE WENT INTO THE CLOUDS, WE PICKED UP ICE REALLY QUICKLY AND LOST OUR GYROS. WE INFORMED APCH AND THEY GAVE US NO GYRO VECTORS TO PROCEED. AT THAT MOMENT MY STUDENT WAS STILL PF. WHEN IT SEEMED TO ME THAT HE HAD PROBS FLYING, I TOOK OVER, WHILE THE ACFT WAS INITIATED IN A RIGHT TURN SPIRAL DOWN. AT THAT TIME I HAD PROBS TO RECOVER AND DID NOT LEVEL THE WINGS FIRST. SINCE WE HAD LOT OF ICE PICKED UP IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINS, I WAS AFRAID OF STALLING. RESULT WAS AN ALT VIOLATION OF +/-1000'. WE LEVELED OFF AT 1500' MSL (+/-800' AGL) WITH GND SIGHT. APCH OF COURSE GAVE US AN ALT ALERT. AFTER 1-2 MINS OF THINKING AND DECISION MAKING AND TALKING TO APCH, WE WENT ON TOP AGAIN (4000' MSL) TO MAKE AN ASR NO GYRO APCH INTO MBS (RWY 5). ON TOP WE LOST ALL THE ICE (+/- 1 1/4') AND SAGINAW RPTED THAT AN ACFT JUST HAD LEFT THERE W/O ENCOUNTERING ICE AT ALL. THE FINAL ASR APCH TO RWY 5 WENT OK AND WE THANKED THE CTLING AGENCIES. THEY AT THAT MOMENT DID NOT REQUIRE TO WRITE ANY RPTS. THE FIREMAN, THOUGH, CAME OVER FOR PLT'S NAME AND CERTIFICATE #, OWNER OF ACFT, OPERATION AND REGISTRATION # OF ACFT. GYROS WERE LOST BECAUSE OF VENTURI-DRIVEN VACUUM SYS WHICH GOT ICED UP.

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.