A pilot experiences a vacuum failure while VFR on top of an overcast layer. He descended through the...

Attributes
ACN	615276
Time
Date	200404
Day	Thu
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hfy.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 10500
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon tower : dal.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 80 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	615276
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cruising at 10500 ft VFR on top of the clouds when my vacuum system failed. I then realized I had to land the plane as soon as possible, knowing that I couldn't get far without a heading indicator, attitude indicator, and not much gas. I found a small opening in the clouds but the opening had closed. Still descending down, I saw greenwood runway 19. As soon as I had the runway in sight, I landed the plane as soon as possible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT EXPERIENCES A VACUUM FAILURE WHILE VFR ON TOP OF AN OVCST LAYER. HE DSNDED THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND LANDED.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 10500 FT VFR ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS WHEN MY VACUUM SYS FAILED. I THEN REALIZED I HAD TO LAND THE PLANE ASAP, KNOWING THAT I COULDN'T GET FAR WITHOUT A HDG INDICATOR, ATTITUDE INDICATOR, AND NOT MUCH GAS. I FOUND A SMALL OPENING IN THE CLOUDS BUT THE OPENING HAD CLOSED. STILL DSNDING DOWN, I SAW GREENWOOD RWY 19. AS SOON AS I HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT, I LANDED THE PLANE ASAP.

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 pilot experiences a vacuum failure while VFR on top of an overcast layer. He descended through the clouds and landed.