SA-227 AC Metro III
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Confusion; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
On climb out when climbing through 2;200 ft.; my altimeter froze there and my airspeed dropped to zero. My First Officer side was still operating and I tried troubleshooting by switching to the alternate static source while still climbing. When I switched to the alternate static source the altimeter jumped to 3;000 ft. but then stayed stuck there. ATC asked me why it looked like I had leveled off between 2;000 to 3;000 ft. and I advised them that I was actually climbing through 8;000 ft. and was going to level off at 8;500 ft. and I had an issue with my pitot static system. After troubleshooting realizing that I wouldn't be able to fix the issue and ZZZ was still VFR I told them I would air return to ZZZ and they vectored me back. I do not believe this would be considered an altitude deviation as I was cleared to climb to 10;000 ft. and had not made it there yet.
Pilot reported airspeed went to zero and altimeter froze on climb out. The pilot elected to perform an air turn back and precautionary landing.