Narrative:

I departed airport 62C to return to my home base, enw. This is only a 17 NM flight. I was at 62C to have new main gear tires and new brake pads installed on my aircraft. When I departed, the ceiling was 3000 ft, visibility was 1 mi in snow. I filed an IFR flight plan, received my clearance by telephone, and departed. During my climb, milwaukee approach informed me my transponder was not squawking the correct code and requested I reset it. I complied but it still didn't work correctly so I cycled it again. While I was struggling with the transponder I exceeded my assigned altitude (3000 ft) by 500 ft. When I arrived at kenosha, and while being vectored to the 6L ILS final approach course, my GS was not active. I elected to make it a localizer only approach. As I approached the OM the localizer became intermittent and I elected to miss the approach. Milwaukee approach advised me I was off the final approach course. During the climb and turn to assigned vector, milwaukee approach asked my intentions. I responded by requesting the VOR 14 approach. While climbing, I changed my approach plate to the VOR 14 approach and contacted unicom at kenosha to determine if they were aware of a problem with the ILS (the identifier code was clearly audible). Now, hurried and well behind the aircraft, I exceeded my assigned altitude (2400 ft) a second time in this short but frustrating flight. After getting the altitude under control and regaining my composure, I discovered the reason for the missing GS and the erratic localizer -- the back course switch was inadvertently turned on. I informed approach of my discovery and requested the ILS again because it is the safest approach at kenosha. This time the approach went without a problem. I am a new instrument pilot and realize from this experience I need more dual instruction, concentrating on problem management.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ON SHORT NIGHT FLT IN SMA HAD 2 ALTDEVS, 1 MISSED APCH. MADE SUCCESSFUL ILS APCH AND LNDG.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ARPT 62C TO RETURN TO MY HOME BASE, ENW. THIS IS ONLY A 17 NM FLT. I WAS AT 62C TO HAVE NEW MAIN GEAR TIRES AND NEW BRAKE PADS INSTALLED ON MY ACFT. WHEN I DEPARTED, THE CEILING WAS 3000 FT, VISIBILITY WAS 1 MI IN SNOW. I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, RECEIVED MY CLRNC BY TELEPHONE, AND DEPARTED. DURING MY CLB, MILWAUKEE APCH INFORMED ME MY TRANSPONDER WAS NOT Squawking THE CORRECT CODE AND REQUESTED I RESET IT. I COMPLIED BUT IT STILL DIDN'T WORK CORRECTLY SO I CYCLED IT AGAIN. WHILE I WAS STRUGGLING WITH THE TRANSPONDER I EXCEEDED MY ASSIGNED ALT (3000 FT) BY 500 FT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT KENOSHA, AND WHILE BEING VECTORED TO THE 6L ILS FINAL APCH COURSE, MY GS WAS NOT ACTIVE. I ELECTED TO MAKE IT A LOC ONLY APCH. AS I APCHED THE OM THE LOC BECAME INTERMITTENT AND I ELECTED TO MISS THE APCH. MILWAUKEE APCH ADVISED ME I WAS OFF THE FINAL APCH COURSE. DURING THE CLB AND TURN TO ASSIGNED VECTOR, MILWAUKEE APCH ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I RESPONDED BY REQUESTING THE VOR 14 APCH. WHILE CLBING, I CHANGED MY APCH PLATE TO THE VOR 14 APCH AND CONTACTED UNICOM AT KENOSHA TO DETERMINE IF THEY WERE AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE ILS (THE IDENTIFIER CODE WAS CLRLY AUDIBLE). NOW, HURRIED AND WELL BEHIND THE ACFT, I EXCEEDED MY ASSIGNED ALT (2400 FT) A SECOND TIME IN THIS SHORT BUT FRUSTRATING FLT. AFTER GETTING THE ALT UNDER CTL AND REGAINING MY COMPOSURE, I DISCOVERED THE REASON FOR THE MISSING GS AND THE ERRATIC LOC -- THE BACK COURSE SWITCH WAS INADVERTENTLY TURNED ON. I INFORMED APCH OF MY DISCOVERY AND REQUESTED THE ILS AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS THE SAFEST APCH AT KENOSHA. THIS TIME THE APCH WENT WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I AM A NEW INST PLT AND REALIZE FROM THIS EXPERIENCE I NEED MORE DUAL INSTRUCTION, CONCENTRATING ON PROBLEM MGMNT.

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.