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Pilot of cargo flying light twin has numerous problems with aircraft, may have inadvertently climbed above 18,000'.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 118701 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198907 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mso |
| State Reference | MT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 18500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zlc |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 118701 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : exited penetrated airspace |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other other |
Narrative:
It was the first time that I had flown this particular aircraft, small transport X. On the first leg from missoula to baker, I was having intermittent problem with the left magnetic right engine and pressurization problems. After leaving baker to return to missoula, I had to turn off the left magnetic right engine. The altimeter started to lag and then stuck. I looked for a copilot altimeter but did not see it in the lower right hand corner of the panel and by this time it was night. The pilot altimeter then climbed to 17,500'. I turned north the autoplt. In a few mins the altimeter started to climb and I got a cabin warning light. I turned off the autoplt and started a descent because I was not sure of the altitude. At this time I noticed the copilot altimeter was descending out of 16,000. I depressurized the cabin and the pilot altimeter cycle to read the same as the copilot altimeter. When I called missoula tower, he said ATC had called and wanted to know my altitude and if I had been at 27,500. At this time I was out of 11,000'. On the ground I called my employer and then called a mechanic and a technician. The mechanic found fouled plugs on the engine and loose connections on the altimeter.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF CARGO FLYING LIGHT TWIN HAS NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH ACFT, MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY CLIMBED ABOVE 18,000'.
Narrative: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD FLOWN THIS PARTICULAR ACFT, SMT X. ON THE FIRST LEG FROM MISSOULA TO BAKER, I WAS HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT MAG RIGHT ENGINE AND PRESSURIZATION PROBLEMS. AFTER LEAVING BAKER TO RETURN TO MISSOULA, I HAD TO TURN OFF THE LEFT MAG RIGHT ENGINE. THE ALTIMETER STARTED TO LAG AND THEN STUCK. I LOOKED FOR A COPLT ALTIMETER BUT DID NOT SEE IT IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE PANEL AND BY THIS TIME IT WAS NIGHT. THE PLT ALTIMETER THEN CLIMBED TO 17,500'. I TURNED N THE AUTOPLT. IN A FEW MINS THE ALTIMETER STARTED TO CLIMB AND I GOT A CABIN WARNING LIGHT. I TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED A DSCNT BECAUSE I WAS NOT SURE OF THE ALT. AT THIS TIME I NOTICED THE COPLT ALTIMETER WAS DESCENDING OUT OF 16,000. I DEPRESSURIZED THE CABIN AND THE PLT ALTIMETER CYCLE TO READ THE SAME AS THE COPLT ALTIMETER. WHEN I CALLED MISSOULA TWR, HE SAID ATC HAD CALLED AND WANTED TO KNOW MY ALT AND IF I HAD BEEN AT 27,500. AT THIS TIME I WAS OUT OF 11,000'. ON THE GND I CALLED MY EMPLOYER AND THEN CALLED A MECHANIC AND A TECHNICIAN. THE MECHANIC FOUND FOULED PLUGS ON THE ENGINE AND LOOSE CONNECTIONS ON THE ALTIMETER.
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.