Narrative:

On dec/wed/92 received clearance with a 20 min void time at approximately PM00 hours local. Performed a complete runup, everything checked fine. Departed on runway 3 (66A), started to climb and contacted clt approach. Within 30 seconds after first contact with approach, the artificial horizon and directional gyroscope were inoperative and I relayed that to clt approach. I had a hard time determining which was inoperative -- the electric turn and bank or horizon. Clt approach then asked if I needed assistance and I responded affirmatively, that I would 'take all the help I could get.' we broke out at approximately 300 ft and received ground contact and remained in visual conditions. Tried to get back into 66A to no avail, then tried to get into I44, also with no success. Then asked for vectors to clt, climbed to 300 ft, where we became VFR on top. After realizing that the horizon and directional gyroscope had come back, we decided to continue to original destination. When we requested to do so with clt, clt asked if we were terminating our emergency and we responded affirmatively. We then received clearance to destination and remainder of flight was uneventful. At the present time we are still unable to pinpoint the cause of incident. I am at a loss as to what it would take to prevent the same occurrence under like conditions, as every preflight precaution was performed to the fullest. My intentions at this time are to pursue a full mechanical check and possibly consider a backup vacuum, although I never lost vacuum according to aircraft gauge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB CREATES A TEMPORARY LOSS OF ACFT CTL IN A CFIT INCIDENT. EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: ON DEC/WED/92 RECEIVED CLRNC WITH A 20 MIN VOID TIME AT APPROX PM00 HRS LCL. PERFORMED A COMPLETE RUNUP, EVERYTHING CHKED FINE. DEPARTED ON RWY 3 (66A), STARTED TO CLB AND CONTACTED CLT APCH. WITHIN 30 SECONDS AFTER FIRST CONTACT WITH APCH, THE ARTIFICIAL HORIZON AND DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE WERE INOP AND I RELAYED THAT TO CLT APCH. I HAD A HARD TIME DETERMINING WHICH WAS INOP -- THE ELECTRIC TURN AND BANK OR HORIZON. CLT APCH THEN ASKED IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE AND I RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY, THAT I WOULD 'TAKE ALL THE HELP I COULD GET.' WE BROKE OUT AT APPROX 300 FT AND RECEIVED GND CONTACT AND REMAINED IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. TRIED TO GET BACK INTO 66A TO NO AVAIL, THEN TRIED TO GET INTO I44, ALSO WITH NO SUCCESS. THEN ASKED FOR VECTORS TO CLT, CLBED TO 300 FT, WHERE WE BECAME VFR ON TOP. AFTER REALIZING THAT THE HORIZON AND DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE HAD COME BACK, WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO ORIGINAL DEST. WHEN WE REQUESTED TO DO SO WITH CLT, CLT ASKED IF WE WERE TERMINATING OUR EMER AND WE RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY. WE THEN RECEIVED CLRNC TO DEST AND REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT THE PRESENT TIME WE ARE STILL UNABLE TO PINPOINT THE CAUSE OF INCIDENT. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO PREVENT THE SAME OCCURRENCE UNDER LIKE CONDITIONS, AS EVERY PREFLT PRECAUTION WAS PERFORMED TO THE FULLEST. MY INTENTIONS AT THIS TIME ARE TO PURSUE A FULL MECHANICAL CHK AND POSSIBLY CONSIDER A BACKUP VACUUM, ALTHOUGH I NEVER LOST VACUUM ACCORDING TO ACFT GAUGE.

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.