Pilot newly checked out in equipment operates autoplt incorrectly. Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	188674
Time
Date	199109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yqt
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : yqt
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	188674
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was only my second trip in an small transport. This was a different model than the one flown 2 yrs previous. As an airline pilot I thought I had it all covered. My chkout was 1.1 hours the day before. VFR T and G and single engine. Very quick briefing on xx model autoplt. Approaching yqt I was under high task loading, getting ATIS, balancing fuel, switching frequencys, navigating, interruptions by non-pilot passenger. The autoplt (while listening to ATIS) did an unexpected 30 degree turn, so I turned it off, checked the navigation and turned it back on. Shortly thereafter I noticed that I was up 300 ft. I turned off the autoplt again and analyzed that I had touched altitude hold but not autoplt on, oops, so I turned on the autoplt. I went back to checking ATIS, approach called for me to 'identify' a second time, oh no! I was 900 ft high. I 'fessed up' that I had autoplt problems. I got a descent clearance and descended manually. On further analysis, I found that I had incorrectly activated the autoplt modes. When the xx model is turned on (all push buttons) it is automatically in heading (heading) and att (attitude). I correctly selected 'navigation' instead of heading but did not select 'altitude' altitude hold. Thus I kept climbing in 'att', despite 2 mode annunciator panels. Having 2 mode switches next to each other so close in name 'att', 'altitude' is a poor design, but, my overconfidence exacerbated the problem!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT NEWLY CHKED OUT IN EQUIP OPERATES AUTOPLT INCORRECTLY. ALT DEV.

Narrative: THIS WAS ONLY MY SECOND TRIP IN AN SMT. THIS WAS A DIFFERENT MODEL THAN THE ONE FLOWN 2 YRS PREVIOUS. AS AN AIRLINE PLT I THOUGHT I HAD IT ALL COVERED. MY CHKOUT WAS 1.1 HRS THE DAY BEFORE. VFR T AND G AND SINGLE ENG. VERY QUICK BRIEFING ON XX MODEL AUTOPLT. APCHING YQT I WAS UNDER HIGH TASK LOADING, GETTING ATIS, BALANCING FUEL, SWITCHING FREQS, NAVIGATING, INTERRUPTIONS BY NON-PLT PAX. THE AUTOPLT (WHILE LISTENING TO ATIS) DID AN UNEXPECTED 30 DEG TURN, SO I TURNED IT OFF, CHKED THE NAV AND TURNED IT BACK ON. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I NOTICED THAT I WAS UP 300 FT. I TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AGAIN AND ANALYZED THAT I HAD TOUCHED ALT HOLD BUT NOT AUTOPLT ON, OOPS, SO I TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT. I WENT BACK TO CHKING ATIS, APCH CALLED FOR ME TO 'IDENT' A SECOND TIME, OH NO! I WAS 900 FT HIGH. I 'FESSED UP' THAT I HAD AUTOPLT PROBLEMS. I GOT A DSCNT CLRNC AND DSNDED MANUALLY. ON FURTHER ANALYSIS, I FOUND THAT I HAD INCORRECTLY ACTIVATED THE AUTOPLT MODES. WHEN THE XX MODEL IS TURNED ON (ALL PUSH BUTTONS) IT IS AUTOMATICALLY IN HDG (HEADING) AND ATT (ATTITUDE). I CORRECTLY SELECTED 'NAV' INSTEAD OF HDG BUT DID NOT SELECT 'ALT' ALT HOLD. THUS I KEPT CLBING IN 'ATT', DESPITE 2 MODE ANNUNCIATOR PANELS. HAVING 2 MODE SWITCHES NEXT TO EACH OTHER SO CLOSE IN NAME 'ATT', 'ALT' IS A POOR DESIGN, BUT, MY OVERCONFIDENCE EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM!

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.