Narrative:

On first clear day after 10 days of heavy rain; I took my 4 yr old son out for an airplane ride. At 800 ft MSL on climb out; my fuel flow gauge went to 0. I immediately switched on the boost pump (which had no effect on the gauge); initiated a turn to the left and told ATC I must return to the airport immediately. ATC asked if I was declaring an emergency and I stated 'not yet' since my engine was still running fine which suggested the problem was in the gauge; not in the fuel flow. TRACON switched me over to tower. I reported downwind to the tower and then radios went dead. I continued on downwind and switched my transponder to 7700 first; then accidentally to 7500 (should have been 7600). Due to the fact I was facing multiple failures and had my 4 yr old on board; I had inadvertently transposed the usage of the 7500 and 7600 numbers. My radios came back on and the tower told me emergency had been declared for me and fire trucks were dispatched. Upon landing; I was told to call the TRACON who informed me that I was squawking 'hijack;' which is a situation taken very seriously. I apologized for the error and assured them my 4 yr old wasn't a hijacker. Apparently; some of that heavy rain had leaked through my window and wet the wiring; etc; to the radios and instruments which caused the failures. We are currently re-sealing the window.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUFFERING MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ANOMALIES; BE36 PLT LANDS UNDER EMER CONDITIONS. INADVERTENTLY SQUAWKS HIJACK VICE LOST COM XPONDER CODE WHEN COM MOMENTARILY LOST.

Narrative: ON FIRST CLR DAY AFTER 10 DAYS OF HVY RAIN; I TOOK MY 4 YR OLD SON OUT FOR AN AIRPLANE RIDE. AT 800 FT MSL ON CLBOUT; MY FUEL FLOW GAUGE WENT TO 0. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED ON THE BOOST PUMP (WHICH HAD NO EFFECT ON THE GAUGE); INITIATED A TURN TO THE L AND TOLD ATC I MUST RETURN TO THE ARPT IMMEDIATELY. ATC ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND I STATED 'NOT YET' SINCE MY ENG WAS STILL RUNNING FINE WHICH SUGGESTED THE PROB WAS IN THE GAUGE; NOT IN THE FUEL FLOW. TRACON SWITCHED ME OVER TO TWR. I RPTED DOWNWIND TO THE TWR AND THEN RADIOS WENT DEAD. I CONTINUED ON DOWNWIND AND SWITCHED MY XPONDER TO 7700 FIRST; THEN ACCIDENTALLY TO 7500 (SHOULD HAVE BEEN 7600). DUE TO THE FACT I WAS FACING MULTIPLE FAILURES AND HAD MY 4 YR OLD ON BOARD; I HAD INADVERTENTLY TRANSPOSED THE USAGE OF THE 7500 AND 7600 NUMBERS. MY RADIOS CAME BACK ON AND THE TWR TOLD ME EMER HAD BEEN DECLARED FOR ME AND FIRE TRUCKS WERE DISPATCHED. UPON LNDG; I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TRACON WHO INFORMED ME THAT I WAS SQUAWKING 'HIJACK;' WHICH IS A SITUATION TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE ERROR AND ASSURED THEM MY 4 YR OLD WASN'T A HIJACKER. APPARENTLY; SOME OF THAT HVY RAIN HAD LEAKED THROUGH MY WINDOW AND WET THE WIRING; ETC; TO THE RADIOS AND INSTS WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURES. WE ARE CURRENTLY RE-SEALING THE WINDOW.

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.