Narrative:

At approximately xa hours 3/wed/89, I was en route from soa to dnl in augusta, GA, with a seriously burned patient. My assigned cruising altitude was 13000'. Approximately 60 mi northwest of augusta I told my copilot to request lower altitude from ZTL. We were cleared to descend to and maintain 11000' MSL. We were VFR on top with unlimited visibility. As we descended I asked for the descent checklist and as I was extending the engine ice vanes, I had no indication the vanes were extended and at 10800' I realized I was descending through my assigned altitude. I started to correct immediately, however I went to 10500' before I was able to stop the descent. I immediately returned to 11000'. ZTL made no mention of the incident and neither did I. I have been flying for more than 25 yrs and have flown 10400 hours of accident, incident free flying. It will never happen again, and I won't let a minor malfunction distract my attention. This was my third flight with a burn patient and I am now able to fly the seriously ill in a much more relaxed manner. My discomfort may have been a factor. I can handle any type of lifeguard flts now that I am used to it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BECAUSE OF COCKPIT DISTRS REPORTER ACFT FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT ASSIGNED ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA HRS 3/WED/89, I WAS ENRTE FROM SOA TO DNL IN AUGUSTA, GA, WITH A SERIOUSLY BURNED PATIENT. MY ASSIGNED CRUISING ALT WAS 13000'. APPROX 60 MI NW OF AUGUSTA I TOLD MY COPLT TO REQUEST LOWER ALT FROM ZTL. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 11000' MSL. WE WERE VFR ON TOP WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. AS WE DSNDED I ASKED FOR THE DSCNT CHKLIST AND AS I WAS EXTENDING THE ENG ICE VANES, I HAD NO INDICATION THE VANES WERE EXTENDED AND AT 10800' I REALIZED I WAS DSNDING THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT. I STARTED TO CORRECT IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER I WENT TO 10500' BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE DSCNT. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 11000'. ZTL MADE NO MENTION OF THE INCIDENT AND NEITHER DID I. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR MORE THAN 25 YRS AND HAVE FLOWN 10400 HRS OF ACCIDENT, INCIDENT FREE FLYING. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, AND I WON'T LET A MINOR MALFUNCTION DISTRACT MY ATTN. THIS WAS MY THIRD FLT WITH A BURN PATIENT AND I AM NOW ABLE TO FLY THE SERIOUSLY ILL IN A MUCH MORE RELAXED MANNER. MY DISCOMFORT MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. I CAN HANDLE ANY TYPE OF LIFEGUARD FLTS NOW THAT I AM USED TO IT.

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.