Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2 at 4000 ft. The WX was scattered clouds at 2800 ft and broken at 3200 ft and the sky was clear at my departure airport. I was in and out of the tops of clouds during this phase of my flight. I had just checked in with approach; when my avidyne entegra pfd blinked. As I looked at it; the display began to smear; turning into lines; and then multicolored squares. I asked approach to vector me back to VMC; since I did not want to be in clouds or descending through clouds. Approximately 30 seconds later; the pfd display returned to normal. At this point; approach asked me if I would like to declare an emergency. I was still in and out of clouds; and while they were asking; the display became unreadable again; so I answered 'affirmative.' again; the display returned to normal 30 seconds later. Since I was not certain that the pfd was indicating correctly; I used the backup instruments as references for the flight. In a few more mins; I was VMC. Approach handed me off and ATC asked me if I wanted to make an emergency landing at ZZZ3. Since I was now back in VMC with unrestr visibility and no ceiling; I decided that it would be safe to follow visual references back to ZZZ1. The display blanked 2 more times on the way back to the airport. Had the WX been IMC or even MVFR; I would have landed at the nearest airport using a GPS approach. Part of the transition training to the cirrus involves blanking the pfd and flying by references to the backup instruments. As I learned; this is a skill that should be continually practiced. It's also important to let the controllers know what capabilities you have and what you can and cannot do when you have an equipment failure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SR22 PLT EXPERIENCES PFD FAILURE DURING IFR FLT IN INTERMITTENT IMC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2 AT 4000 FT. THE WX WAS SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 2800 FT AND BROKEN AT 3200 FT AND THE SKY WAS CLR AT MY DEP ARPT. I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE TOPS OF CLOUDS DURING THIS PHASE OF MY FLT. I HAD JUST CHKED IN WITH APCH; WHEN MY AVIDYNE ENTEGRA PFD BLINKED. AS I LOOKED AT IT; THE DISPLAY BEGAN TO SMEAR; TURNING INTO LINES; AND THEN MULTICOLORED SQUARES. I ASKED APCH TO VECTOR ME BACK TO VMC; SINCE I DID NOT WANT TO BE IN CLOUDS OR DSNDING THROUGH CLOUDS. APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER; THE PFD DISPLAY RETURNED TO NORMAL. AT THIS POINT; APCH ASKED ME IF I WOULD LIKE TO DECLARE AN EMER. I WAS STILL IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS; AND WHILE THEY WERE ASKING; THE DISPLAY BECAME UNREADABLE AGAIN; SO I ANSWERED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' AGAIN; THE DISPLAY RETURNED TO NORMAL 30 SECONDS LATER. SINCE I WAS NOT CERTAIN THAT THE PFD WAS INDICATING CORRECTLY; I USED THE BACKUP INSTS AS REFS FOR THE FLT. IN A FEW MORE MINS; I WAS VMC. APCH HANDED ME OFF AND ATC ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG AT ZZZ3. SINCE I WAS NOW BACK IN VMC WITH UNRESTR VISIBILITY AND NO CEILING; I DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO FOLLOW VISUAL REFS BACK TO ZZZ1. THE DISPLAY BLANKED 2 MORE TIMES ON THE WAY BACK TO THE ARPT. HAD THE WX BEEN IMC OR EVEN MVFR; I WOULD HAVE LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT USING A GPS APCH. PART OF THE TRANSITION TRAINING TO THE CIRRUS INVOLVES BLANKING THE PFD AND FLYING BY REFS TO THE BACKUP INSTS. AS I LEARNED; THIS IS A SKILL THAT SHOULD BE CONTINUALLY PRACTICED. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO LET THE CTLRS KNOW WHAT CAPABILITIES YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO WHEN YOU HAVE AN EQUIP FAILURE.

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.