FGT LOST UTILITY HYDRAULIC SYSTEM RESULTING IN PARTIAL LOSS OF FLT CONTROLS AND EMERGENCY LNDG.

Narrative

DURING A NIGHT DESCENT INTO NIAGARA FALLS IAP; NY; MY AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE UTILITY HYDRAULIC FAILURE. I WAS CLRED FROM 17000' TO 10000' AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE; AND WAS TALKING TO CLEVELAND CENTER. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH CLEVELAND AND WAS HANDED OFF TO BUFFALO APPROACH. AFTER TALKING TO BUFFALO; I WAS CLRED OFF THE FREQUENCY TO CONTACT OPERATION FOR ASSISTANCE. AFTER RETURNING TO APPROACH FREQUENCY; I BEGAN RUNNING CHECKLISTS; (THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE FOR THIS EMER). AT THIS POINT; I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT FLYING IMC WITH DEGRADED FLT CONTROLS THROUGH A 5000' DECK IN THE VICINITY OF IAG; SO I ELECTED TO START A VMC DESCENT. I WAS UNABLE TO TALK TO BUFFALO APPROACH ABOUT THIS DEVIATION FROM ATC CLRNC BECAUSE OF CONGESTION ON THE FREQUENCY. JUST AFTER LEAVING 10000'; I VISUALLY ACQUIRED AN AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK AND SLIGHTLY LOW. I BEGAN A CLIMB BACK TO 10000'; AND RECEIVED A QUERY FROM BUFFALO AND A TFC CALL ON THE 9000' TFC. HAD WE BEEN ON THE SAME FREQUENCY (UHF VS VHF); WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE TFC. I THEN INFORMED BUFFALO THAT WE NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT TO 5000'; OR CLEAR OF CLOUDS. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED; AND AFTER BLOWING DOWN GEAR AND FLAPS; WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL ARRESTED LANDING. AFTER FLIGHT; WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM BUFFALO APPROACH ADVISING US THAT ALTHOUGH NO TFC SEPARATION PROBLEMS OCCURRED; A REPORT WOULD BE FILED BECAUSE OF CONVERSATION ON A RECORDED LINE BETWEEN BUFFALO AND CLEVELAND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER WAS OPERATING ON UHF AND DID NOT HAVE VHF ON THE FGT. CONTROL PROBLEMS RESULTING FROM THE LOSS OF HYD WAS NO POWERED RUDDER; ONE-HALF AILERON AND SPOILER MOVEMENT. HAS RECEIVED NO FURTHER INQUIRY FROM THE FAA AND WAS ASSURED BY THE CTLR THAT NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED. WITH THE CONTROL SITUATION HE WAS IN AND THE FACT HE COULD DESCEND IN VFR CONDITIONS; FELT THAT WAS THE BEST PROC. DID SQUAWK 7700 BUT HAD DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED AT IAG THAT HAD AN ARRESTING GEAR.