Pilot of PA34 loses cockpit lighting; flashlight; glasses and control of the airplane during night I...

Attributes
ACN	649433
Time
Date	200503
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-200 Seneca I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 57 flight time total : 687 flight time type : 33
ASRS Report	649433
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : landed as precaution other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I am an instrument rated/MEL private pilot. I departed sjc in a seneca V/G on an IFR flight to gardenerville; nv. Ceiling was 2000 ft. I had just flown; as a passenger in another aircraft from gardenerville to sjc so I was more familiar with the en route WX than normal. I also had received two WX briefings prior to the flight. When I landed in san jose there was a thin overcast layer and light rain over the airport with a broken layer to the east of san jose. In preparing for departure from sjc to mev it took me longer than normal to prepare for the flight and obtain the IFR clearance. Departure from sjc was normal. On climb out at approximately 3000 ft certain instrument panel lighting malfunctioned; I attempted to diagnose the problem but was unable to do so. At this point I attempted to turn on my flashlight but dropped in on the floor. In the process of attempting to find the flashlight and further diagnose the instrument lighting I misplaced my glasses. Simultaneously I was attempting to engage the autoplt; which usually is a simple task; however; I was unable to do this either; and thus continued to hand fly the airplane. Due to the several problems I was experiencing in the cockpit I may have missed some of the ATC radio calls as I was focusing on flying the airplane. At one point ATC was asking me a question about the 'legality' of something which I did not understand. I informed ATC that I did not understand the question. Because of these distractions the airplane deviated from its assigned altitude and heading. ATC instructed me to 'descend to 5000' which I initiated. Once in the descent the airplane inadvertently began to climb again due to the extremely difficult lighting and the cockpit problems at hand. At some point during all of this ATC suggested that I return to sjc and I requested vectors to do so. As I solved the problems at hand I flew the assigned altitudes and headings back to sjc and landed without incident. In retrospect the WX deteriorated far worse than forecast and it had been a long day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA34 LOSES COCKPIT LIGHTING; FLASHLIGHT; GLASSES AND CTL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING NIGHT IFR DEP FROM SJC. ALERT DEP CTLR ASSISTS A SAFE RETURN TO SJC.

Narrative: I AM AN INSTRUMENT RATED/MEL PRIVATE PILOT. I DEPARTED SJC IN A SENECA V/G ON AN IFR FLT TO GARDENERVILLE; NV. CEILING WAS 2000 FT. I HAD JUST FLOWN; AS A PAX IN ANOTHER ACFT FROM GARDENERVILLE TO SJC SO I WAS MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE ENRTE WX THAN NORMAL. I ALSO HAD RECEIVED TWO WX BRIEFINGS PRIOR TO THE FLT. WHEN I LANDED IN SAN JOSE THERE WAS A THIN OVERCAST LAYER AND LIGHT RAIN OVER THE ARPT WITH A BROKEN LAYER TO THE E OF SAN JOSE. IN PREPARING FOR DEP FROM SJC TO MEV IT TOOK ME LONGER THAN NORMAL TO PREPARE FOR THE FLT AND OBTAIN THE IFR CLRNC. DEP FROM SJC WAS NORMAL. ON CLB OUT AT APPROX 3000 FT CERTAIN INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING MALFUNCTIONED; I ATTEMPTED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROB BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. AT THIS POINT I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON MY FLASHLIGHT BUT DROPPED IN ON THE FLOOR. IN THE PROCESS OF ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE FLASHLIGHT AND FURTHER DIAGNOSE THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTING I MISPLACED MY GLASSES. SIMULTANEOUSLY I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT; WHICH USUALLY IS A SIMPLE TASK; HOWEVER; I WAS UNABLE TO DO THIS EITHER; AND THUS CONTINUED TO HAND FLY THE AIRPLANE. DUE TO THE SEVERAL PROBS I WAS EXPERIENCING IN THE COCKPIT I MAY HAVE MISSED SOME OF THE ATC RADIO CALLS AS I WAS FOCUSING ON FLYING THE AIRPLANE. AT ONE POINT ATC WAS ASKING ME A QUESTION ABOUT THE 'LEGALITY' OF SOMETHING WHICH I DID NOT UNDERSTAND. I INFORMED ATC THAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. BECAUSE OF THESE DISTRACTIONS THE AIRPLANE DEVIATED FROM ITS ASSIGNED ALT AND HDG. ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO 'DSND TO 5000' WHICH I INITIATED. ONCE IN THE DSCNT THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY BEGAN TO CLB AGAIN DUE TO THE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT LIGHTING AND THE COCKPIT PROBS AT HAND. AT SOME POINT DURING ALL OF THIS ATC SUGGESTED THAT I RETURN TO SJC AND I REQUESTED VECTORS TO DO SO. AS I SOLVED THE PROBS AT HAND I FLEW THE ASSIGNED ALTS AND HDGS BACK TO SJC AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT THE WX DETERIORATED FAR WORSE THAN FORECAST AND IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Pilot of PA34 loses cockpit lighting; flashlight; glasses and control of the airplane during night IFR departure from sjc. Alert departure controller assists a safe return to sjc.