Aircraft equipment problem. Gyroscope failure and reduced navigation capability.

Attributes
ACN	302768
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	302768
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

IFR flight from tus direct to gtf at FL240 was uneventful until entering icing conditions followed by extreme cold approaching 40 degrees celsius when gyroscope failure occurred, which caused difficulty maintaining course. This was facilitated with the help of ATC who provided 'no gyroscope' assistance with navigation. Descent was made into VFR conditions with uneventful landing at destination. Inspection was made of gyroscope function and subsequently returned to service. Speculation was made of retained moisture in system and subsequent icing caused malfunction. Equipment failure was idented promptly and with ATC assistance, dealt with uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. GYROSCOPE FAILURE AND REDUCED NAV CAPABILITY.

Narrative: IFR FLT FROM TUS DIRECT TO GTF AT FL240 WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL ENTERING ICING CONDITIONS FOLLOWED BY EXTREME COLD APCHING 40 DEGS CELSIUS WHEN GYROSCOPE FAILURE OCCURRED, WHICH CAUSED DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING COURSE. THIS WAS FACILITATED WITH THE HELP OF ATC WHO PROVIDED 'NO GYROSCOPE' ASSISTANCE WITH NAV. DSCNT WAS MADE INTO VFR CONDITIONS WITH UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT DEST. INSPECTION WAS MADE OF GYROSCOPE FUNCTION AND SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNED TO SVC. SPECULATION WAS MADE OF RETAINED MOISTURE IN SYS AND SUBSEQUENT ICING CAUSED MALFUNCTION. EQUIP FAILURE WAS IDENTED PROMPTLY AND WITH ATC ASSISTANCE, DEALT WITH UNEVENTFULLY.

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.