<< >> NASA ASRS Report 418299, October 1998

C172 pilot in training has directional gyro failure, deviates from approach course in IMC, and is issued go around by center in alb airspace.

Attributes
ACN	418299
Time
Date	199810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 5b5
State Reference	VT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 520 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	418299
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 1000
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

No narrative to be typed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: flight was planned from plb to 5b5. I received a WX briefing indicating MVFR with rain along route. I asked another instrument rated pilot to go along as safety pilot. About 30 mi north of cambridge VOR, approach issued a clearance to 5000 ft, which put us in IMC with moderate turbulence. The directional gyro began to precess, and I used the wet compass to estimate my headings. During the approach to 5b5, approach control broke off our approach and issued a climb to 5000 ft and a turn to 270 degrees. We were operating in mountainous terrain, and approach control saw that we were deviating toward the mountains. A second approach was begun, but I could not steer the proper course due to turbulence and the precessing directional gyro. We broke off this approach and asked for direct to plb. The center then gave us 'gyro out' steering vectors to plb. Over lake champlain we broke out into VMC. We continued to plb and landed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT IN TRAINING HAS DIRECTIONAL GYRO FAILURE, DEVIATES FROM APCH COURSE IN IMC, AND IS ISSUED GO AROUND BY CTR IN ALB AIRSPACE.

Narrative: NO NARRATIVE TO BE TYPED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FLT WAS PLANNED FROM PLB TO 5B5. I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING INDICATING MVFR WITH RAIN ALONG RTE. I ASKED ANOTHER INST RATED PLT TO GO ALONG AS SAFETY PLT. ABOUT 30 MI N OF CAMBRIDGE VOR, APCH ISSUED A CLRNC TO 5000 FT, WHICH PUT US IN IMC WITH MODERATE TURB. THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO BEGAN TO PRECESS, AND I USED THE WET COMPASS TO ESTIMATE MY HDGS. DURING THE APCH TO 5B5, APCH CTL BROKE OFF OUR APCH AND ISSUED A CLB TO 5000 FT AND A TURN TO 270 DEGS. WE WERE OPERATING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND APCH CTL SAW THAT WE WERE DEVIATING TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS. A SECOND APCH WAS BEGUN, BUT I COULD NOT STEER THE PROPER COURSE DUE TO TURB AND THE PRECESSING DIRECTIONAL GYRO. WE BROKE OFF THIS APCH AND ASKED FOR DIRECT TO PLB. THE CTR THEN GAVE US 'GYRO OUT' STEERING VECTORS TO PLB. OVER LAKE CHAMPLAIN WE BROKE OUT INTO VMC. WE CONTINUED TO PLB AND LANDED.

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.