Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 100
Human-Machine Interface; Distraction; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft; Human Factors
Departed ZZZ on IFR flight plan level at 4000 ft. on vectors to assigned routing. Above Class D but below the floor of Class B. Approximately 15 nm NW of departure airport my oil pressure indication went to zero; red light flashing attention getter. As I was doing a little troubleshooting I made a call to departure that I may need to return to ZZZ. I think my transmission was blocked with by another aircraft or departure control talking. As the oil pressure started to fluctuate up to the green range and back to zero; I noticed ZZZ1 off the left wing about 8 miles or so and made a turn towards it. At the time my passenger was quite concerned about everything going on and was a distraction to me. About that time; departure control gave me a turn and asked my altitude and gave me a climb to 5000 ft. While reassuring my passenger; my altitude had climbed 350 ft. above my assigned 4000 ft. I told ATC I needed to return to departure airport due to oil pressure indicating problems and they cleared me direct. Landed and confirmed the instrument was malfunctioning. My distraction from focusing on flying the airplane was problem; also not verifying ATC did not hear my first request to return to the airport was an issue.
C180 pilot reported oil pressure indication problem in flight.