Altitude deviation altitude overshot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	309150
Time
Date	199507
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bfi
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea tower : ack
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 583 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	309150
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lifted off bfi on IFR clearance to 59S. Gear up, reduced to climb power. Started instrument scan preparing to enter clouds at 1500 ft. Noticed altimeter needle stuck on bfi elevation, then jumped suddenly to 400 ft. Appeared to work normally so kept climbing. Handed off to seattle departure, cleared to 4000 ft, needle of altimeter stuck again at 3800 ft, kept climbing, ATC called and said I'd busted 4000 ft, cleared me to 5000 ft, needle jumped up again to 4400 ft, broke out at 4500 ft and climbed to 5000 ft. Asked ATC to confirm mode C altitude, decided to return bfi and got vectors for ILS, landed uneventfully but needle stuck twice again on descent. Aircraft was washed day before. This was first flight thereafter, I think I had water in pitot-static system. Went out next day in VFR WX and altimeter worked fine. Corrective action is to fly aircraft after wash job in VFR WX before flying actual IFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB.

Narrative: LIFTED OFF BFI ON IFR CLRNC TO 59S. GEAR UP, REDUCED TO CLB PWR. STARTED INST SCAN PREPARING TO ENTER CLOUDS AT 1500 FT. NOTICED ALTIMETER NEEDLE STUCK ON BFI ELEVATION, THEN JUMPED SUDDENLY TO 400 FT. APPEARED TO WORK NORMALLY SO KEPT CLBING. HANDED OFF TO SEATTLE DEP, CLRED TO 4000 FT, NEEDLE OF ALTIMETER STUCK AGAIN AT 3800 FT, KEPT CLBING, ATC CALLED AND SAID I'D BUSTED 4000 FT, CLRED ME TO 5000 FT, NEEDLE JUMPED UP AGAIN TO 4400 FT, BROKE OUT AT 4500 FT AND CLBED TO 5000 FT. ASKED ATC TO CONFIRM MODE C ALT, DECIDED TO RETURN BFI AND GOT VECTORS FOR ILS, LANDED UNEVENTFULLY BUT NEEDLE STUCK TWICE AGAIN ON DSCNT. ACFT WAS WASHED DAY BEFORE. THIS WAS FIRST FLT THEREAFTER, I THINK I HAD WATER IN PITOT-STATIC SYS. WENT OUT NEXT DAY IN VFR WX AND ALTIMETER WORKED FINE. CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO FLY ACFT AFTER WASH JOB IN VFR WX BEFORE FLYING ACTUAL IFR.

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.