Air taxi has failure of cockpit lighting, failure of flashlight batteries. Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	193362
Time
Date	199110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sln
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zkc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	193362
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lost all cockpit lighting while en route to sln. Flashlight was available and readily accessible. Batteries failed within a short time (10-15 seconds). Spare flashlight was available but not readily accessible. Airplane was trimmed nose down slightly. While trying to get spare flashlight aircraft lost excessive altitude. Climbed back to assigned altitude, found lighting problem and restored cockpit lighting. No further lighting problems, continue flight without incident. To prevent future occurrence, now carry both flashlights where they are easy to get to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI HAS FAILURE OF COCKPIT LIGHTING, FAILURE OF FLASHLIGHT BATTERIES. ALTDEV.

Narrative: LOST ALL COCKPIT LIGHTING WHILE ENRTE TO SLN. FLASHLIGHT WAS AVAILABLE AND READILY ACCESSIBLE. BATTERIES FAILED WITHIN A SHORT TIME (10-15 SECONDS). SPARE FLASHLIGHT WAS AVAILABLE BUT NOT READILY ACCESSIBLE. AIRPLANE WAS TRIMMED NOSE DOWN SLIGHTLY. WHILE TRYING TO GET SPARE FLASHLIGHT ACFT LOST EXCESSIVE ALT. CLBED BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT, FOUND LIGHTING PROBLEM AND RESTORED COCKPIT LIGHTING. NO FURTHER LIGHTING PROBLEMS, CONTINUE FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCE, NOW CARRY BOTH FLASHLIGHTS WHERE THEY ARE EASY TO GET TO.

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.