# Vacuum system - Type: NTSB finding section - Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft systems](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0102) › Vacuum system - NTSB code: 010237 - Cases: 15 - In the probable cause: 12 - Fatal cases: 12 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010237/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010237/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010237 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 3 / 3 - 2011: 1 / 1 - 2012: 2 / 3 - 2014: 2 / 2 - 2016: 1 / 1 - 2018: 0 / 2 - 2019: 2 / 2 - 2021: 1 / 1 ## Findings - [Vacuum system, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023700): 12 cases, 9 in the probable cause - [Vacuum distribution system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023710): 2 cases, 2 in the probable cause - [Vacuum indicating system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023720): 1 cases, 1 in the probable cause ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 8 cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 3 cases - [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 1 cases - [Flight instrument malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/334): 1 cases - [Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110): 1 cases - [Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Piper PA-44-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180): 1 cases - [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-236](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-236): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-160): 1 cases - [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250): 1 cases - [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k): 1 cases - [Mooney M20C](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20c): 1 cases - [Cessna 421C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421c): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 8 cases - [Spatial disorientation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022025) (Personnel issues): 6 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 5 cases - [Below VFR minima](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035075) (Environmental issues): 4 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Oil](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Aircraft structures, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000) (Aircraft): 2 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ERA22FA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA085), Dec 10, 2021: Beech V35 (N5704V), Crab Orchard, KY, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control… - [NTSB ERA20FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA021), Oct 30, 2019: Piper PA28R (N56258), Atlanta, GA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the vacuum pump and its associated… - [NTSB ERA19FA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA130), Mar 14, 2019: Mooney M20C (N6075Q), Cashiers, NC, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the vacuum pump and its… - [NTSB ERA19LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA012), Oct 13, 2018: Piper PA34 (N593MS), Westhampton Beach, NY, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The instructor's decision to conduct and continue a visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions with a known flight instrument anomaly, which resulted in spatial… - [NTSB WPR18FA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA218), Aug 11, 2018: Mooney M20K (N231EC), Baker City, OR, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the landing approach as a result of his diversion of attention after a series of non-essential aircraft systems became… - [NTSB ERA16FA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA176), May 3, 2016: Beech V35 (N440H), Syosset, NY, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control while operating in instrument meteorological conditions with only a partial instrument panel due to a failure of the airplane's vacuum pump. Contributing to the… - [NTSB WPR14LA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA345), Aug 13, 2014: Piper PA 28-236 (N2190H), Salmon, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel’s improper surface preparation of the accessory mount pad for the installation of the engine’s dry vacuum pump, which resulted in the loss of engine oil, oil pressure, and… - [NTSB ERA14FA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA168), Mar 24, 2014: Piper PA-44-180 (N923RS), Brunswick, GA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: An inflight failure of the airplane's only operating vacuum pump, which resulted in the loss of attitude information provided by vacuum-driven flight instruments. Also causal was the pilots' failure… - [NTSB ERA13FA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA088), Dec 16, 2012: Piper PA-28-160 (N5714W), Parkton, NC, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the instrument-rated pilot to maintain control of the airplane while in instrument meteorological conditions after reporting a gyro malfunction. Contributing to the accident was the… - [NTSB WPR13FA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA037), Nov 11, 2012: Cessna 421C (N700EM), Shaver Lake, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to regain airplane control following a sudden rapid descent during cruise, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to make… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.