Narrative:

Prior to a flight in MVFR conditions the garmin GPS III pilot was initialized. While being carried to the airplane; the screen went blank. This was attributed to a malfunction; possibly caused by direct sunlight. The GPS was critical to part of the mission that would be near to or within class B airspace; although ground reference was an option if the visibility was satisfactory. The mission was conducted satisfactorily until the portion that was near to or in class B airspace. I determined that that portion had to be aborted due to haze and low ceilings. When I informed the photographer of my decision; he became very upset. At that time I informed him that; due to the sustained stress of the operation; I was terminating the flight. This only irritated him more. As we were near the boundary of see's class D airspace; I obtained the ATIS and called for landing. The photographer became more irate; ranting constantly. Since the iso switch was in an inconvenient location; I was unable to shut him out. He became insistent that we do an additional shoot within see's class D airspace. To placate him; I leveled off at 1800 ft and requested an amendment to my landing clearance. Because of the distraction created by photographer; I used the call sign of the plane I usually fly; instead of the one actually being flown. While the resulting confusion was being resolved; I turned onto the course for the shoot. The local controller; not realizing I was 500 ft above the pattern; interpreted it as an unauthorized turn to base leg. Later; when the shoot had been authority/authorized; a communication failure contributed to a head-on near midair collision with a C172 on downwind. Later it was determined to be synchronous xmissions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTR BY A FAILED GPS; CLOSE PROX TO A CLASS D ARPT; MVMC CONDITIONS AND AN IRATE PAX; PLT OF C152 EXPERIENCES CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION C172.

Narrative: PRIOR TO A FLT IN MVFR CONDITIONS THE GARMIN GPS III PLT WAS INITIALIZED. WHILE BEING CARRIED TO THE AIRPLANE; THE SCREEN WENT BLANK. THIS WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A MALFUNCTION; POSSIBLY CAUSED BY DIRECT SUNLIGHT. THE GPS WAS CRITICAL TO PART OF THE MISSION THAT WOULD BE NEAR TO OR WITHIN CLASS B AIRSPACE; ALTHOUGH GND REF WAS AN OPTION IF THE VISIBILITY WAS SATISFACTORY. THE MISSION WAS CONDUCTED SATISFACTORILY UNTIL THE PORTION THAT WAS NEAR TO OR IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. I DETERMINED THAT THAT PORTION HAD TO BE ABORTED DUE TO HAZE AND LOW CEILINGS. WHEN I INFORMED THE PHOTOGRAPHER OF MY DECISION; HE BECAME VERY UPSET. AT THAT TIME I INFORMED HIM THAT; DUE TO THE SUSTAINED STRESS OF THE OP; I WAS TERMINATING THE FLT. THIS ONLY IRRITATED HIM MORE. AS WE WERE NEAR THE BOUNDARY OF SEE'S CLASS D AIRSPACE; I OBTAINED THE ATIS AND CALLED FOR LNDG. THE PHOTOGRAPHER BECAME MORE IRATE; RANTING CONSTANTLY. SINCE THE ISO SWITCH WAS IN AN INCONVENIENT LOCATION; I WAS UNABLE TO SHUT HIM OUT. HE BECAME INSISTENT THAT WE DO AN ADDITIONAL SHOOT WITHIN SEE'S CLASS D AIRSPACE. TO PLACATE HIM; I LEVELED OFF AT 1800 FT AND REQUESTED AN AMENDMENT TO MY LNDG CLRNC. BECAUSE OF THE DISTR CREATED BY PHOTOGRAPHER; I USED THE CALL SIGN OF THE PLANE I USUALLY FLY; INSTEAD OF THE ONE ACTUALLY BEING FLOWN. WHILE THE RESULTING CONFUSION WAS BEING RESOLVED; I TURNED ONTO THE COURSE FOR THE SHOOT. THE LCL CTLR; NOT REALIZING I WAS 500 FT ABOVE THE PATTERN; INTERPED IT AS AN UNAUTH TURN TO BASE LEG. LATER; WHEN THE SHOOT HAD BEEN AUTH; A COM FAILURE CONTRIBUTED TO A HEAD-ON NMAC WITH A C172 ON DOWNWIND. LATER IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE SYNCHRONOUS XMISSIONS.

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.