Pilot of atx small transport in climb overshot assigned altitude on IFR plan in VFR conditions.

Attributes
ACN	135752
Time
Date	199002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : srq
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa tracon : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4400 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	135752
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VMC, IFR clearance received to 1600', first altitude. Straight out climb for runway 14, climbing through 500' MSL. Aircraft starting to experience power surges. Pilot, alone in aircraft, starting looking for indications to correct problem and initiated loss of engine power procedures while continuing climb for additional altitude for safety. Power surges continued, as pilot climbed to 2800' west/O notifying approach control climbing above assigned altitude of 1600'. Pilot cancelled IFR flight plan, leveled off at 2800' and continued flight VFR as through power reduction to normal cruise, all power returned to normal. Continued troubleshooting, unable to duplicate problem any power setting, either engine. Elected to make a VFR precautionary landing at nearby en route airport. No visible sign of problem recurrence. A & P mechanic believes may have been minor fuel contamination, though none was evident on preflight or post-flight inspection. All indications were normal during power surge on that climb out. Pilot concern: initial climb past initial clearance altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ATX SMT IN CLIMB OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT ON IFR PLAN IN VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: VMC, IFR CLRNC RECEIVED TO 1600', FIRST ALT. STRAIGHT OUT CLB FOR RWY 14, CLBING THROUGH 500' MSL. ACFT STARTING TO EXPERIENCE PWR SURGES. PLT, ALONE IN ACFT, STARTING LOOKING FOR INDICATIONS TO CORRECT PROB AND INITIATED LOSS OF ENG PWR PROCS WHILE CONTINUING CLB FOR ADDITIONAL ALT FOR SAFETY. PWR SURGES CONTINUED, AS PLT CLBED TO 2800' W/O NOTIFYING APCH CTL CLBING ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT OF 1600'. PLT CANCELLED IFR FLT PLAN, LEVELED OFF AT 2800' AND CONTINUED FLT VFR AS THROUGH PWR REDUCTION TO NORMAL CRUISE, ALL PWR RETURNED TO NORMAL. CONTINUED TROUBLESHOOTING, UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROB ANY PWR SETTING, EITHER ENG. ELECTED TO MAKE A VFR PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT NEARBY ENRTE ARPT. NO VISIBLE SIGN OF PROB RECURRENCE. A & P MECH BELIEVES MAY HAVE BEEN MINOR FUEL CONTAMINATION, THOUGH NONE WAS EVIDENT ON PREFLT OR POST-FLT INSPECTION. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL DURING PWR SURGE ON THAT CLBOUT. PLT CONCERN: INITIAL CLB PAST INITIAL CLRNC ALT.

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.