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A blocked pitot tube (with the drain also blocked) causes the airspeed indicator to behave like what other instrument?

Choices

✓ An altimeter — reading higher in a climb and lower in a descentcorrect
With ram air trapped, the airspeed indicator responds only to altitude change, like an altimeter.
A vertical speed indicator
The VSI shows rate of climb/descent; a blocked pitot does not mimic it.
A turn coordinator
The turn coordinator is gyroscopic and unrelated to the pitot system.
A magnetic compass
The compass is unaffected by pitot blockage.

Why

When the pitot tube and its drain are blocked, trapped pressure makes the airspeed indicator act like an altimeter — indicating higher as the aircraft climbs and lower as it descends.

FAA source: PHAK / pitot-static system failuresbrowse the reference library →

This is taught in Abnormal Systems: Partial Power and Pitot-Static Failures — study the lessons free, then practice with grading and mastery tracking.

Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question.