Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 13000; Flight Crew Type 100
Workload; Troubleshooting; Training / Qualification; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Human Factors; Weather; Aircraft
Normal flight from departure to destination. The ride had been bumpy the whole way; so we were interested in getting on the ground. We were tracking toward the IAF for the ILS to our destination. During the descent; ATC descended us to 3;000 FT; then to 2;000 FT; then amended the altitude to 2;500 FT; and started to call traffic. Right at the highest workload time (naturally); I hear a pop; and lose the electric trim and the altitude alerter (which; I found out; is powered by the same circuit breaker). Now I've got a handful of airplane that I have to switch to manual trimming; lose my altitude alerter; and ATC starts in with the vectors and calling traffic. Though an experienced pilot; I am used to 121 two pilot operations and have only started flying single pilot GA again recently. I was very surprised how one or two simple things can spike the workload almost instantaneously. I managed to keep the airplane on altitude and heading. We got cleared for the visual; at which time we canceled IFR; and proceeded visually; and had to do a 360 to space behind another aircraft on final. Moral of the story...watch the distractions. When they creep up on you; play defense.
A BE-35 pilot became very busy in bumpy air on the TPA IFR arrival when his Altitude Alerter and Electric Elevator Trim failed while ATC was issuing altitude changes and traffic.