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Cessna pilot reported he accidentally descended while trying to retrieve his chart off the aircraft floor. ATC issued an altitude alert.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1485690 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201709 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | BJC.Airport |
| State Reference | CO |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Single Pilot |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60 Flight Crew Total 19000 Flight Crew Type 2500 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence |
Narrative:
I remember the event; just not sure on which flight. I was flying a cessna 340 or a cessna 210. Both flights were from denver centennial (apa) flying north. Same route; same altitude and same moderate or greater turbulence from apa to north of the wyoming state line. The turbulence was too rough to use the autopilot; it gets behind making matters worse. I was cruising north of bjc at 8000 ft. Between keeping an eye on an aircraft at 9 o'clock low flying the same direction as I was; my class B chart; other traffic; and dealing with the turbulence (up to 100 ft deviations) I was pretty busy. My map and other stuff was thrown off the co-pilot seat. At the time of the deviation; I was trying to pick it up off the floor to verify the border of class B airspace. I'd lost a couple hundred feet and was correcting when the controller called an altitude alert. Apparently the aircraft was at 7000 ft. The airspace between bjc and fort collins/loveland is usually congested with VFR traffic. I feel I need to have eyes outside as much as possible when I am under; or just outside of class B airspace where most of the VFR traffic is. When the turbulence is light or smooth I often use the autopilot so I can spend more time looking for the little airplanes that are so hard to see. I will continue to be vigilant and attempt to comply with ATC instructions.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Cessna pilot reported he accidentally descended while trying to retrieve his chart off the aircraft floor. ATC issued an altitude alert.
Narrative: I remember the event; just not sure on which flight. I was flying a Cessna 340 or a Cessna 210. Both flights were from Denver Centennial (APA) flying north. Same route; same altitude and same moderate or greater turbulence from APA to north of the Wyoming state line. The turbulence was too rough to use the autopilot; it gets behind making matters worse. I was cruising north of BJC at 8000 ft. Between keeping an eye on an aircraft at 9 o'clock low flying the same direction as I was; my class B chart; other traffic; and dealing with the turbulence (up to 100 ft deviations) I was pretty busy. My map and other stuff was thrown off the co-pilot seat. At the time of the deviation; I was trying to pick it up off the floor to verify the border of Class B airspace. I'd lost a couple hundred feet and was correcting when the controller called an altitude alert. Apparently the aircraft was at 7000 ft. The airspace between BJC and Fort Collins/Loveland is usually congested with VFR traffic. I feel I need to have eyes outside as much as possible when I am under; or just outside of Class B airspace where most of the VFR traffic is. When the turbulence is light or smooth I often use the autopilot so I can spend more time looking for the little airplanes that are so hard to see. I will continue to be vigilant and attempt to comply with ATC instructions.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.