Altitude deviation. Loss radio contact.

Attributes
ACN	101916
Time
Date	198901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5134
ASRS Report	101916
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Set altitude to known field elevation 385 MSL, received ATIS and adjusted tenths and hundreds to agree with ATIS, but failed to check inches. The altitude setting was turned the wrong way and had a one inch error or a 1000' error (set at (-385) or 615 below 2.left. Departure - tower cleared me for takeoff runway 18 with left turn to 100 degree to intercept V4 and climb to 4000 and turned me over to departure, departure cleared me on 7000 MSL. Experiencing some communication problem with the no. 1 radio, I switched to the no. 2 radio. In switching from no. 1 to no. 2, I apparently went past the no. 2 position to PA position. After leveling at 7000 MSL and after 15 to 20 minutes into the estimated 40 minute flight, I tuned in sdf ATIS and noticed the audio switch in the PA position. At this point (mid point of flight) I used the sdf approach frequency of the current approach in process from ATIS. I informed them I was IFR, V4, evv to sdf with possible loss of communications with evv departure. At this time approach informed me they showed me at 8000 MSL and gave me the current sdf altitude. At this time I corrected my altitude and reported out of 8000 for 7000 MSL. Flight conditions of complete trip were unrestricted VFR. I was not informed of any conflicts with other traffic and I saw no other traffic enroute. Contributing factors: setting of altitude incorrectly, switching radios, second flight in left seat, first flight IFR (in PA 32 rt). Possible ways: a more careful check of field elevation versus ATIS barometric pressure to evaluate altitude error. A more positive detent on audio panel switch. Remove PA position, as its not needed on PA 32 rt. If I had reported level at 7000 MSL my errors may have been recognized earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEV. LOSS RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: SET ALT TO KNOWN FIELD ELEVATION 385 MSL, RECEIVED ATIS AND ADJUSTED TENTHS AND HUNDREDS TO AGREE WITH ATIS, BUT FAILED TO CHECK INCHES. THE ALT SETTING WAS TURNED THE WRONG WAY AND HAD A ONE INCH ERROR OR A 1000' ERROR (SET AT (-385) OR 615 BELOW 2.L. DEPARTURE - TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF RWY 18 WITH LEFT TURN TO 100 DEG TO INTERCEPT V4 AND CLB TO 4000 AND TURNED ME OVER TO DEP, DEP CLRED ME ON 7000 MSL. EXPERIENCING SOME COMMUNICATION PROBLEM WITH THE NO. 1 RADIO, I SWITCHED TO THE NO. 2 RADIO. IN SWITCHING FROM NO. 1 TO NO. 2, I APPARENTLY WENT PAST THE NO. 2 POSITION TO PA POSITION. AFTER LEVELING AT 7000 MSL AND AFTER 15 TO 20 MINUTES INTO THE ESTIMATED 40 MINUTE FLT, I TUNED IN SDF ATIS AND NOTICED THE AUDIO SWITCH IN THE PA POSITION. AT THIS POINT (MID POINT OF FLT) I USED THE SDF APCH FREQUENCY OF THE CURRENT APCH IN PROCESS FROM ATIS. I INFORMED THEM I WAS IFR, V4, EVV TO SDF WITH POSSIBLE LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH EVV DEP. AT THIS TIME APCH INFORMED ME THEY SHOWED ME AT 8000 MSL AND GAVE ME THE CURRENT SDF ALT. AT THIS TIME I CORRECTED MY ALT AND RPTED OUT OF 8000 FOR 7000 MSL. FLT CONDITIONS OF COMPLETE TRIP WERE UNRESTRICTED VFR. I WAS NOT INFORMED OF ANY CONFLICTS WITH OTHER TFC AND I SAW NO OTHER TFC ENROUTE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SETTING OF ALT INCORRECTLY, SWITCHING RADIOS, SECOND FLT IN LEFT SEAT, FIRST FLT IFR (IN PA 32 RT). POSSIBLE WAYS: A MORE CAREFUL CHECK OF FIELD ELEVATION VERSUS ATIS BAROMETRIC PRESSURE TO EVALUATE ALT ERROR. A MORE POSITIVE DETENT ON AUDIO PANEL SWITCH. REMOVE PA POSITION, AS ITS NOT NEEDED ON PA 32 RT. IF I HAD REPORTED LEVEL AT 7000 MSL MY ERRORS MAY HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED EARLIER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.