Narrative:

Leveling at 6000' after leaving bfl I attempted to contact bfl tower on 126.45 on the #2 radio. I could not, the navigation and communication side both went down. The VOR needle on #1 also oscillated in 1-2 DOT deflections to right and left in 109.2, the porterville VORTAC. The DME worked all right, however at the same time the vsi indicated level but the altimeter showed considerable excursions up and down. I was entering or in cloud at this point and did not have the vaguest idea what was wrong. I called bfl on the working radio and requested a return. At that time they told me my mode C read out at 6900' while my altimeter was reading 5900'. I returned to bfl and will have the radios and encoding altimeter looked at again. They were, however, just out of the shop and just put through the IFR certification process in 12/88.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA HAD RADIO AND INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS AFTER TKOF FROM BFL. RETURN AND LAND.

Narrative: LEVELING AT 6000' AFTER LEAVING BFL I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT BFL TWR ON 126.45 ON THE #2 RADIO. I COULD NOT, THE NAV AND COM SIDE BOTH WENT DOWN. THE VOR NEEDLE ON #1 ALSO OSCILLATED IN 1-2 DOT DEFLECTIONS TO RIGHT AND LEFT IN 109.2, THE PORTERVILLE VORTAC. THE DME WORKED ALL RIGHT, HOWEVER AT THE SAME TIME THE VSI INDICATED LEVEL BUT THE ALTIMETER SHOWED CONSIDERABLE EXCURSIONS UP AND DOWN. I WAS ENTERING OR IN CLOUD AT THIS POINT AND DID NOT HAVE THE VAGUEST IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG. I CALLED BFL ON THE WORKING RADIO AND REQUESTED A RETURN. AT THAT TIME THEY TOLD ME MY MODE C READ OUT AT 6900' WHILE MY ALTIMETER WAS READING 5900'. I RETURNED TO BFL AND WILL HAVE THE RADIOS AND ENCODING ALTIMETER LOOKED AT AGAIN. THEY WERE, HOWEVER, JUST OUT OF THE SHOP AND JUST PUT THROUGH THE IFR CERTIFICATION PROCESS IN 12/88.

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