Narrative:

While nearing houston I was questioned by approach as to the direction I was going. I had filed (and was cleared) eagle lake VOR direct D.west. Hooks airport. Approach thought that I was going to follow the gland 6 arrival. Approach control then cleared me from present position to head 100 and intercept the humble 234 radial. I started turning toward the 100 heading and got out the arrival chart. At the same time I entered a band of rain showers and in the ensuing rough air, lost several hundred feet. Approach called (as I was recovering) to ask about my altitude. I then intercepted what I believed was the humble 234 radial. Again just as approach called to question my heading, I realized I had set the inbound course to 116.4 in the RNAV mode instead of 116.6 in the VOR/navigation mode. All during this time I was in and out of rain showers with intermittent moderate turbulence. ATC should give a guy a little more warning of a complete rerouting and not assume that everyone files ATC's favorite way. Also, in the future, I will rely more heavily on the autoplt to help out when I need to chart, hunt and scan. Especially since this is a single pilot operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER SMT SINGLE PLT IFR ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT AND TRACK HEADING DEVIATION.

Narrative: WHILE NEARING HOUSTON I WAS QUESTIONED BY APCH AS TO THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I HAD FILED (AND WAS CLRED) EAGLE LAKE VOR DIRECT D.W. HOOKS ARPT. APCH THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO FOLLOW THE GLAND 6 ARR. APCH CTL THEN CLRED ME FROM PRESENT POSITION TO HEAD 100 AND INTERCEPT THE HUMBLE 234 RADIAL. I STARTED TURNING TOWARD THE 100 HDG AND GOT OUT THE ARR CHART. AT THE SAME TIME I ENTERED A BAND OF RAIN SHOWERS AND IN THE ENSUING ROUGH AIR, LOST SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET. APCH CALLED (AS I WAS RECOVERING) TO ASK ABOUT MY ALT. I THEN INTERCEPTED WHAT I BELIEVED WAS THE HUMBLE 234 RADIAL. AGAIN JUST AS APCH CALLED TO QUESTION MY HDG, I REALIZED I HAD SET THE INBND COURSE TO 116.4 IN THE RNAV MODE INSTEAD OF 116.6 IN THE VOR/NAV MODE. ALL DURING THIS TIME I WAS IN AND OUT OF RAIN SHOWERS WITH INTERMITTENT MODERATE TURBULENCE. ATC SHOULD GIVE A GUY A LITTLE MORE WARNING OF A COMPLETE REROUTING AND NOT ASSUME THAT EVERYONE FILES ATC'S FAVORITE WAY. ALSO, IN THE FUTURE, I WILL RELY MORE HEAVILY ON THE AUTOPLT TO HELP OUT WHEN I NEED TO CHART, HUNT AND SCAN. ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS A SINGLE PLT OPERATION.

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.