Atx small transport altitude deviation overshot during climb.

Attributes
ACN	121627
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ont
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 2140 flight time type : 137
ASRS Report	121627
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The main cause of the problem was getting behind the airplane. The main contributing factor was clogged fuel injectors. Background: my flight was diverted into ontario due to WX. Around lift off. The left engine started surging. I held the initial heading and checked main items like fuel tank, boost pumps, mixture, etc. The engine stopped surging and seemed to run smooth. I made another decision to leave takeoff power on an extra 500' or so higher, rather than going to cruise climb at 1000 AGL. Then everything happened at once, change to departure control, after takeoff checklist, and still checking instruments and gauges. The only gauge that looked abnormal was the left fuel flow meter. I probably should have told departure control about the problem but my workload seemed too heavy and I've been told to fly the plane first. I flew above my 4000' altitude I was to maintain. I ended up cancelling IFR. The controller said in another mile he would have lost his mandatory IFR separation (another flight at 5000' in the opposite direction). After leaving the arsa I caught up to the plane (VFR conditions). As I flew higher I got on company frequency. After talking to a mechanic and telling him what happened and that everything looked normal except fuel flow which was close enough to the right engine that an immediate landing was not necessary. Ended up going to my destination which happens to be a maintenance base.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB.

Narrative: THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING BEHIND THE AIRPLANE. THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS. BACKGROUND: MY FLT WAS DIVERTED INTO ONTARIO DUE TO WX. AROUND LIFT OFF. THE LEFT ENGINE STARTED SURGING. I HELD THE INITIAL HDG AND CHECKED MAIN ITEMS LIKE FUEL TANK, BOOST PUMPS, MIXTURE, ETC. THE ENGINE STOPPED SURGING AND SEEMED TO RUN SMOOTH. I MADE ANOTHER DECISION TO LEAVE TKOF POWER ON AN EXTRA 500' OR SO HIGHER, RATHER THAN GOING TO CRUISE CLIMB AT 1000 AGL. THEN EVERYTHING HAPPENED AT ONCE, CHANGE TO DEP CTL, AFTER TKOF CHECKLIST, AND STILL CHECKING INSTRUMENTS AND GAUGES. THE ONLY GAUGE THAT LOOKED ABNORMAL WAS THE LEFT FUEL FLOW METER. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TOLD DEP CTL ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT MY WORKLOAD SEEMED TOO HEAVY AND I'VE BEEN TOLD TO FLY THE PLANE FIRST. I FLEW ABOVE MY 4000' ALT I WAS TO MAINTAIN. I ENDED UP CANCELLING IFR. THE CTLR SAID IN ANOTHER MILE HE WOULD HAVE LOST HIS MANDATORY IFR SEPARATION (ANOTHER FLT AT 5000' IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION). AFTER LEAVING THE ARSA I CAUGHT UP TO THE PLANE (VFR CONDITIONS). AS I FLEW HIGHER I GOT ON COMPANY FREQ. AFTER TALKING TO A MECHANIC AND TELLING HIM WHAT HAPPENED AND THAT EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL EXCEPT FUEL FLOW WHICH WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE RIGHT ENGINE THAT AN IMMEDIATE LNDG WAS NOT NECESSARY. ENDED UP GOING TO MY DEST WHICH HAPPENS TO BE A MAINT BASE.

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.