A PA34 pilot gets a flight assist from a day approach controller when the directional gyroscope beco...

Attributes
ACN	422691
Time
Date	199812
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rid
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-200 Seneca I
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 575 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	422691
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Day approach was vectoring our flight direct from dqn VOR to the rid ILS/DME runway 24 approach course. WX was low with fog and light rain. On descent on GS (inside IAF jermy), I was focused on keeping aircraft on localizer using intuitive left/right bank. What was really occurring, and which I did not notice soon enough, was that the directional gyroscope had failed. (The card would not turn accordingly with left/right bank.) at decision ht, I executed the published missed -- climb to 2700 ft, then left turn to rid and hold. As I was climbing left to what I thought was about 150 degree heading, the directional gyroscope began to spin rapidly, stop for a moment, then spin again. Needless to say, the desired track direct rid VOR was not direct. After a lot of help and patience from day approach, we were able to get established back on the ILS and land without incident. The whole incident would not have happened if I had recognized the directional gyroscope problem earlier and resorted to basic compass flying sooner. Preoccupation with the approach (and thought of the miss) caused by attention to tune-out deficiencies with my instruments. Kudos to day approach controller for saving my hide in a timely, efficient, and friendly manner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA34 PLT GETS A FLT ASSIST FROM A DAY APCH CTLR WHEN THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE BECOMES INOP. PLT GETS A NO GYROSCOPE APCH BACK INTO RID, IN.

Narrative: DAY APCH WAS VECTORING OUR FLT DIRECT FROM DQN VOR TO THE RID ILS/DME RWY 24 APCH COURSE. WX WAS LOW WITH FOG AND LIGHT RAIN. ON DSCNT ON GS (INSIDE IAF JERMY), I WAS FOCUSED ON KEEPING ACFT ON LOC USING INTUITIVE L/R BANK. WHAT WAS REALLY OCCURRING, AND WHICH I DID NOT NOTICE SOON ENOUGH, WAS THAT THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE HAD FAILED. (THE CARD WOULD NOT TURN ACCORDINGLY WITH L/R BANK.) AT DECISION HT, I EXECUTED THE PUBLISHED MISSED -- CLB TO 2700 FT, THEN L TURN TO RID AND HOLD. AS I WAS CLBING L TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ABOUT 150 DEG HDG, THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE BEGAN TO SPIN RAPIDLY, STOP FOR A MOMENT, THEN SPIN AGAIN. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE DESIRED TRACK DIRECT RID VOR WAS NOT DIRECT. AFTER A LOT OF HELP AND PATIENCE FROM DAY APCH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET ESTABLISHED BACK ON THE ILS AND LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE WHOLE INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD RECOGNIZED THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE PROB EARLIER AND RESORTED TO BASIC COMPASS FLYING SOONER. PREOCCUPATION WITH THE APCH (AND THOUGHT OF THE MISS) CAUSED BY ATTN TO TUNE-OUT DEFICIENCIES WITH MY INSTS. KUDOS TO DAY APCH CTLR FOR SAVING MY HIDE IN A TIMELY, EFFICIENT, AND FRIENDLY MANNER.

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.

A PA34 pilot gets a flight assist from a day approach controller when the directional gyroscope becomes inoperative. Pilot gets a no gyroscope approach back into rid, in.