Altitude bust. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	134104
Time
Date	199001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gsb
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gsb
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	134104
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First multi engine solo. Controller issued non-standard altitude clearance: 'climb VFR 40, climb/maintain 90.' aircraft was passing 4.5 at the time. Mlt widebody transport was in area. I lost visibility contact with him when IMC (I was concerned about his location). Passing 80, still IMC, I had alternator fail light come on and lost radio communication. Cloud conditions were becoming broken and I could see blue sky above. Heard intermittent exchanges between s-j and heavy mlt. The mlt had been higher at first contact, and appeared to be climbing (him 4500', me 3500'). Observed the mlt heading southwest, but turning to northeast. I was climbing to the north. I saw 9500' on altimeter and immediately corrected. I requested traffic advisory on mlt from s-j but had no response. I have no real excuse for breaking an assigned altitude. Aircraft control was not an issue nor were IMC conditions. Radio/altitude problems should not have been a factor, nor the non-standard clearance. All should have been easily managed. It was the combination of things (as it usually is), compounded by the memory of a near miss (1000' horizontal, 0' vertical) with an large transport that had me flustered.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: FIRST MULTI ENG SOLO. CTLR ISSUED NON-STANDARD ALT CLRNC: 'CLB VFR 40, CLB/MAINTAIN 90.' ACFT WAS PASSING 4.5 AT THE TIME. MLT WDB WAS IN AREA. I LOST VIS CONTACT WITH HIM WHEN IMC (I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HIS LOCATION). PASSING 80, STILL IMC, I HAD ALTERNATOR FAIL LIGHT COME ON AND LOST RADIO COM. CLOUD CONDITIONS WERE BECOMING BROKEN AND I COULD SEE BLUE SKY ABOVE. HEARD INTERMITTENT EXCHANGES BETWEEN S-J AND HVY MLT. THE MLT HAD BEEN HIGHER AT FIRST CONTACT, AND APPEARED TO BE CLBING (HIM 4500', ME 3500'). OBSERVED THE MLT HDG SW, BUT TURNING TO NE. I WAS CLBING TO THE N. I SAW 9500' ON ALTIMETER AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. I REQUESTED TFC ADVISORY ON MLT FROM S-J BUT HAD NO RESPONSE. I HAVE NO REAL EXCUSE FOR BREAKING AN ASSIGNED ALT. ACFT CONTROL WAS NOT AN ISSUE NOR WERE IMC CONDITIONS. RADIO/ALT PROBS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR, NOR THE NON-STANDARD CLRNC. ALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN EASILY MANAGED. IT WAS THE COMBINATION OF THINGS (AS IT USUALLY IS), COMPOUNDED BY THE MEMORY OF A NEAR MISS (1000' HORIZ, 0' VERT) WITH AN LGT THAT HAD ME FLUSTERED.

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