BE35 pilot loses control of aircraft while troubleshooting faulty transponder in lit airspace.

Attributes
ACN	424743
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbf
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 861 flight time type : 790
ASRS Report	424743
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was given clearance for takeoff and climb to 3000 ft and expect 6000 ft. After takeoff controller told me transponder was set to wrong code. I reset transponder. I was then told it was still wrong code. Transponder was squawking different than settings indicated. In the meantime I had set the autoplt to the designated heading. While working with transponder the autoplt failed. The aircraft had rolled to the right with wings almost vertical. I immediately started working to control aircraft. In the meantime I failed to monitor altitude and heading. I still feel aircraft control was more important. I had busted the 3000 ft and was about 90 degrees off heading. This course of events occurred in about 2 or 3 mins. The autoplt and transponder are now being svced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT LOSES CTL OF ACFT WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING FAULTY XPONDER IN LIT AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN CLRNC FOR TKOF AND CLB TO 3000 FT AND EXPECT 6000 FT. AFTER TKOF CTLR TOLD ME XPONDER WAS SET TO WRONG CODE. I RESET XPONDER. I WAS THEN TOLD IT WAS STILL WRONG CODE. XPONDER WAS SQUAWKING DIFFERENT THAN SETTINGS INDICATED. IN THE MEANTIME I HAD SET THE AUTOPLT TO THE DESIGNATED HEADING. WHILE WORKING WITH XPONDER THE AUTOPLT FAILED. THE ACFT HAD ROLLED TO THE R WITH WINGS ALMOST VERT. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING TO CTL ACFT. IN THE MEANTIME I FAILED TO MONITOR ALT AND HEADING. I STILL FEEL ACFT CTL WAS MORE IMPORTANT. I HAD BUSTED THE 3000 FT AND WAS ABOUT 90 DEGS OFF HEADING. THIS COURSE OF EVENTS OCCURRED IN ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINS. THE AUTOPLT AND XPONDER ARE NOW BEING SVCED.

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.