An IMC PA46 autoplt disconnected while the pilot prepared for an IFR approach. The pilot did not hea...

Attributes
ACN	677978
Time
Date	200511
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdg.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-46 Malibu
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 42 flight time total : 1267 flight time type : 134
ASRS Report	677978
Person 2
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On 11/tue/05; I was flying alone on an IFR flight plan from columbia; sc (cae); to reading; PA (rdg). There was a solid layer of clouds from about 1400 ft AGL to 5000 ft MSL in the vicinity of the reading airport. During vectors to final at 3000 ft MSL in solid IMC; with the plane on autoplt in the heading and altitude hold modes; I was looking at the approach chart when the autoplt disengaged. I was unaware that the autoplt had disengaged until I looked at the attitude indicator and saw that the plane was in a very steep downward spiral. I was able to level the wings and pull the plane out of the dive and then applied full power to climb since I was afraid I would impact terrain. Because the plane has a turboprop engine; it climbs very rapidly and by the time I got the plane back under control; I was at 5200 ft MSL...just above the cloud tops and 2200 ft above my assigned altitude of 3000 ft MSL. This was a very frightening event and underscores the importance of continual instrument scan when in IMC and also the difficulty of single pilot IFR. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that this aircraft's autoplt (magic 1500 ft) does have an audible beeping sound when the autoplt disconnects. He did not remember hearing the disconnect signal while his attention was on the approach chart. When he looked up to see the aircraft on a 90 degree bank descending turn he leveled the wings and added power; letting the aircraft fly itself out of the descent before beginning his climb. The aircraft is currently in the shop being examined for the autoplt alert system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IMC PA46 AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED WHILE THE PLT PREPARED FOR AN IFR APCH. THE PLT DID NOT HEAR THE DISCONNECT ALERT AND RECOVERED FROM A 90 DEGREE BANK DESCENDING TURN.

Narrative: ON 11/TUE/05; I WAS FLYING ALONE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM COLUMBIA; SC (CAE); TO READING; PA (RDG). THERE WAS A SOLID LAYER OF CLOUDS FROM ABOUT 1400 FT AGL TO 5000 FT MSL IN THE VICINITY OF THE READING ARPT. DURING VECTORS TO FINAL AT 3000 FT MSL IN SOLID IMC; WITH THE PLANE ON AUTOPLT IN THE HEADING AND ALT HOLD MODES; I WAS LOOKING AT THE APCH CHART WHEN THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED. I WAS UNAWARE THAT THE AUTOPLT HAD DISENGAGED UNTIL I LOOKED AT THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND SAW THAT THE PLANE WAS IN A VERY STEEP DOWNWARD SPIRAL. I WAS ABLE TO LEVEL THE WINGS AND PULL THE PLANE OUT OF THE DIVE AND THEN APPLIED FULL POWER TO CLB SINCE I WAS AFRAID I WOULD IMPACT TERRAIN. BECAUSE THE PLANE HAS A TURBOPROP ENGINE; IT CLBS VERY RAPIDLY AND BY THE TIME I GOT THE PLANE BACK UNDER CTL; I WAS AT 5200 FT MSL...JUST ABOVE THE CLOUD TOPS AND 2200 FT ABOVE MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000 FT MSL. THIS WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EVENT AND UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUAL INSTRUMENT SCAN WHEN IN IMC AND ALSO THE DIFFICULTY OF SINGLE PILOT IFR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THIS ACFT'S AUTOPLT (MAGIC 1500 FT) DOES HAVE AN AUDIBLE BEEPING SOUND WHEN THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTS. HE DID NOT REMEMBER HEARING THE DISCONNECT SIGNAL WHILE HIS ATTENTION WAS ON THE APCH CHART. WHEN HE LOOKED UP TO SEE THE ACFT ON A 90 DEGREE BANK DESCENDING TURN HE LEVELED THE WINGS AND ADDED POWER; LETTING THE ACFT FLY ITSELF OUT OF THE DESCENT BEFORE BEGINNING HIS CLB. THE ACFT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP BEING EXAMINED FOR THE AUTOPLT ALERT SYSTEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

An IMC PA46 autoplt disconnected while the pilot prepared for an IFR approach. The pilot did not hear the disconnect alert and recovered from a 90 degree bank descending turn.