Narrative:

Flying east on V-12 (16 DME to the west of rid at 3000 ft MSL) experienced vacuum pump failure and loss of attitude indicator and directional gyro approximately 20 seconds before entering solid IMC with light to moderate turbulence. T-tail small aircraft became increasingly difficult to manage on partial panel. I covered attitude indicator with sticky note. 'Turn coordinator' seemed overly sensitive to control inputs. I notified ATC of vacuum failure in IMC and requested vectors to ffo. I decided to 'break a chain' of increasingly difficult task by reducing power descending 600 ft and reversing heading to return to VMC conditions. I then notified ATC of actions while maintaining VMC flight to connersville, in, airport for VFR approach and landing. Prior to vacuum pump failure the initial IFR flight that morning from ffo to huf had been excellent with approximately 1.8 hours solid IMC with an ILS 23 approach to huf. A departure at approximately PM30 local huf into 900 ft overcast with IFR direct shb appeared normal. Nearing shb, approximately 12 mi to west, ATC questioned why my heading was taking me to intercept V-12 rather than proceeding direct to shb. I noted about 15 degrees precession on directional gyro and reset with compass. This probably was the first indication of impending vacuum pump failure although I do not recall noting the vacuum failure annunciator light on. Note: upon entering FBO at connersville, the employee behind the counter stated that he had just completed a telephone inquiry from dayton approach confirming that we made it into the airport and that they would close our IFR flight plan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS VACUUM PUMP FAILURE. EXITS IMC FOR VMC.

Narrative: FLYING E ON V-12 (16 DME TO THE W OF RID AT 3000 FT MSL) EXPERIENCED VACUUM PUMP FAILURE AND LOSS OF ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND DIRECTIONAL GYRO APPROX 20 SECONDS BEFORE ENTERING SOLID IMC WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB. T-TAIL SMA BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE ON PARTIAL PANEL. I COVERED ATTITUDE INDICATOR WITH STICKY NOTE. 'TURN COORDINATOR' SEEMED OVERLY SENSITIVE TO CTL INPUTS. I NOTIFIED ATC OF VACUUM FAILURE IN IMC AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO FFO. I DECIDED TO 'BREAK A CHAIN' OF INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TASK BY REDUCING PWR DSNDING 600 FT AND REVERSING HDG TO RETURN TO VMC CONDITIONS. I THEN NOTIFIED ATC OF ACTIONS WHILE MAINTAINING VMC FLT TO CONNERSVILLE, IN, ARPT FOR VFR APCH AND LNDG. PRIOR TO VACUUM PUMP FAILURE THE INITIAL IFR FLT THAT MORNING FROM FFO TO HUF HAD BEEN EXCELLENT WITH APPROX 1.8 HRS SOLID IMC WITH AN ILS 23 APCH TO HUF. A DEP AT APPROX PM30 LCL HUF INTO 900 FT OVCST WITH IFR DIRECT SHB APPEARED NORMAL. NEARING SHB, APPROX 12 MI TO W, ATC QUESTIONED WHY MY HDG WAS TAKING ME TO INTERCEPT V-12 RATHER THAN PROCEEDING DIRECT TO SHB. I NOTED ABOUT 15 DEGS PRECESSION ON DIRECTIONAL GYRO AND RESET WITH COMPASS. THIS PROBABLY WAS THE FIRST INDICATION OF IMPENDING VACUUM PUMP FAILURE ALTHOUGH I DO NOT RECALL NOTING THE VACUUM FAILURE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT ON. NOTE: UPON ENTERING FBO AT CONNERSVILLE, THE EMPLOYEE BEHIND THE COUNTER STATED THAT HE HAD JUST COMPLETED A TELEPHONE INQUIRY FROM DAYTON APCH CONFIRMING THAT WE MADE IT INTO THE ARPT AND THAT THEY WOULD CLOSE OUR IFR FLT PLAN.

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.