GA small aircraft had radio and instrument problems after takeoff from bfl. Return and land.

Attributes
ACN	102508
Time
Date	198901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fbl airport : bfl
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v165
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1000
ASRS Report	102508
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Leveling at 6000' after leaving bfl I attempted to contact bfl tower on 126.45 on the #2 radio. I could not, the navigation and communication side both went down. The VOR needle on #1 also oscillated in 1-2 DOT deflections to right and left in 109.2, the porterville VORTAC. The DME worked all right, however at the same time the vsi indicated level but the altimeter showed considerable excursions up and down. I was entering or in cloud at this point and did not have the vaguest idea what was wrong. I called bfl on the working radio and requested a return. At that time they told me my mode C read out at 6900' while my altimeter was reading 5900'. I returned to bfl and will have the radios and encoding altimeter looked at again. They were, however, just out of the shop and just put through the IFR certification process in 12/88.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA HAD RADIO AND INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS AFTER TKOF FROM BFL. RETURN AND LAND.

Narrative: LEVELING AT 6000' AFTER LEAVING BFL I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT BFL TWR ON 126.45 ON THE #2 RADIO. I COULD NOT, THE NAV AND COM SIDE BOTH WENT DOWN. THE VOR NEEDLE ON #1 ALSO OSCILLATED IN 1-2 DOT DEFLECTIONS TO RIGHT AND LEFT IN 109.2, THE PORTERVILLE VORTAC. THE DME WORKED ALL RIGHT, HOWEVER AT THE SAME TIME THE VSI INDICATED LEVEL BUT THE ALTIMETER SHOWED CONSIDERABLE EXCURSIONS UP AND DOWN. I WAS ENTERING OR IN CLOUD AT THIS POINT AND DID NOT HAVE THE VAGUEST IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG. I CALLED BFL ON THE WORKING RADIO AND REQUESTED A RETURN. AT THAT TIME THEY TOLD ME MY MODE C READ OUT AT 6900' WHILE MY ALTIMETER WAS READING 5900'. I RETURNED TO BFL AND WILL HAVE THE RADIOS AND ENCODING ALTIMETER LOOKED AT AGAIN. THEY WERE, HOWEVER, JUST OUT OF THE SHOP AND JUST PUT THROUGH THE IFR CERTIFICATION PROCESS IN 12/88.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.