Narrative:

I departed mdw on runway 4L. I was given clearance to climb to 3000', and turn to a heading of 260 degrees. After climbing into IMC conditions and turning left to 260 degrees, I experienced an inverter failure, which failed the left side heading and attitude gyros. In my haste to switch to the #2 inverter, I shut down the avionics master switch, causing a loss of right side dg's. This caused a moment of confusion in the cockpit, during which I climbed to 2800' and descended to 2500', and deviated approximately 100 degrees to a heading of 160 degrees. Upon realizing that I had lost communication radios and right side gyros, I rechked the avionics master and discovered my mistake. I then turned the avionics master back on and switched to the #2 inverter, regaining all radios and gyro equipment. The entire incident took place in approximately 45 seconds. ATC informed us that no conflict had taken place and I basically had just turned back over the airport. After returning to a heading of 260 degrees and climbing to 3000', I continued the flight to the destination that was VFR. What should have a relatively simple situation was turned into a tense one by my haste to react to a simple inverter failure. From this incident I have learned that unless you are positively sure and confirm your corrective action, you can put yourself into a worse position than what was caused by the initial failure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CPR SMT DEPARTING MDW HAD HEADING DEVIATION, ALT DEVIATION. EQUIPMENT PROBLEM.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MDW ON RWY 4L. I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB TO 3000', AND TURN TO A HDG OF 260 DEGS. AFTER CLBING INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND TURNING LEFT TO 260 DEGS, I EXPERIENCED AN INVERTER FAILURE, WHICH FAILED THE LEFT SIDE HDG AND ATTITUDE GYROS. IN MY HASTE TO SWITCH TO THE #2 INVERTER, I SHUT DOWN THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH, CAUSING A LOSS OF RIGHT SIDE DG'S. THIS CAUSED A MOMENT OF CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT, DURING WHICH I CLBED TO 2800' AND DSNDED TO 2500', AND DEVIATED APPROX 100 DEGS TO A HDG OF 160 DEGS. UPON REALIZING THAT I HAD LOST COM RADIOS AND RIGHT SIDE GYROS, I RECHKED THE AVIONICS MASTER AND DISCOVERED MY MISTAKE. I THEN TURNED THE AVIONICS MASTER BACK ON AND SWITCHED TO THE #2 INVERTER, REGAINING ALL RADIOS AND GYRO EQUIP. THE ENTIRE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN APPROX 45 SECS. ATC INFORMED US THAT NO CONFLICT HAD TAKEN PLACE AND I BASICALLY HAD JUST TURNED BACK OVER THE ARPT. AFTER RETURNING TO A HDG OF 260 DEGS AND CLBING TO 3000', I CONTINUED THE FLT TO THE DEST THAT WAS VFR. WHAT SHOULD HAVE A RELATIVELY SIMPLE SITUATION WAS TURNED INTO A TENSE ONE BY MY HASTE TO REACT TO A SIMPLE INVERTER FAILURE. FROM THIS INCIDENT I HAVE LEARNED THAT UNLESS YOU ARE POSITIVELY SURE AND CONFIRM YOUR CORRECTIVE ACTION, YOU CAN PUT YOURSELF INTO A WORSE POS THAN WHAT WAS CAUSED BY THE INITIAL FAILURE.

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