Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	138732
Time
Date	199003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : slc tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	138732
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing out of slc airport on a vector to maintain 6000' at about 5600' crew door next to pilot's seat popped open 1/4', blowing cold air into cockpit area. The noise and air blowing into cockpit area startling pilot. Pilot thought door was open and grabbed handle to close it. As pilot was working on door aircraft climbed through 6000'. Pilot saw altitude at 6400' and started back to 6000' when center said traffic 12 O'clock and 2 mi return to 6000'. Aircraft went to 6000' in 2 seconds. As door was not fully latched but 80% latched, crew went to destination airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: CLIMBING OUT OF SLC ARPT ON A VECTOR TO MAINTAIN 6000' AT ABOUT 5600' CREW DOOR NEXT TO PLT'S SEAT POPPED OPEN 1/4', BLOWING COLD AIR INTO COCKPIT AREA. THE NOISE AND AIR BLOWING INTO COCKPIT AREA STARTLING PLT. PLT THOUGHT DOOR WAS OPEN AND GRABBED HANDLE TO CLOSE IT. AS PLT WAS WORKING ON DOOR ACFT CLIMBED THROUGH 6000'. PLT SAW ALT AT 6400' AND STARTED BACK TO 6000' WHEN CENTER SAID TFC 12 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI RETURN TO 6000'. ACFT WENT TO 6000' IN 2 SECONDS. AS DOOR WAS NOT FULLY LATCHED BUT 80% LATCHED, CREW WENT TO DEST ARPT.

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.