GA small transport altitude deviation when fuel boost pump quit and engine got rough.

Attributes
ACN	198841
Time
Date	199201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : syo
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cle
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : v272
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	198841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

From fsm to tcc, IFR, en route WX clear. Filed 6000 ft. Experienced a navigation failure (V272) and notified ATC. I requested radar vectors to tcc. Center rogered the request but said they would have to change my altitude to 10000 ft and asked if I could accept. I replied I could and was cleared to 10000 ft and called out of 6000 for 10000. Out of 8500 I experienced a very rough engine and thought I was going to have an engine failure due to loss of power. I started to lose altitude and called in a mayday to center and explained the situation. Center was very helpful and tried to give me vectors to nearest airport. Engine came alive and started running fine descending through 7000 ft. I could maintain 6000 ft with no problem. After complete cockpit check found the cause. The fuel boost pump shorted out during climb and popped the circuit breaker. Fuel pressure was reduced and the big engine stumbled. After telling center of my finding I requested to maintain 6000 ft and continue to tcc. No further problems. No evasive action was given to other aircraft due to my loss of altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMT ALTDEV WHEN FUEL BOOST PUMP QUIT AND ENG GOT ROUGH.

Narrative: FROM FSM TO TCC, IFR, ENRTE WX CLR. FILED 6000 FT. EXPERIENCED A NAV FAILURE (V272) AND NOTIFIED ATC. I REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO TCC. CENTER ROGERED THE REQUEST BUT SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE MY ALT TO 10000 FT AND ASKED IF I COULD ACCEPT. I REPLIED I COULD AND WAS CLRED TO 10000 FT AND CALLED OUT OF 6000 FOR 10000. OUT OF 8500 I EXPERIENCED A VERY ROUGH ENG AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE AN ENG FAILURE DUE TO LOSS OF PWR. I STARTED TO LOSE ALT AND CALLED IN A MAYDAY TO CENTER AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. CENTER WAS VERY HELPFUL AND TRIED TO GIVE ME VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT. ENG CAME ALIVE AND STARTED RUNNING FINE DSNDING THROUGH 7000 FT. I COULD MAINTAIN 6000 FT WITH NO PROBLEM. AFTER COMPLETE COCKPIT CHK FOUND THE CAUSE. THE FUEL BOOST PUMP SHORTED OUT DURING CLB AND POPPED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. FUEL PRESSURE WAS REDUCED AND THE BIG ENG STUMBLED. AFTER TELLING CENTER OF MY FINDING I REQUESTED TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT AND CONTINUE TO TCC. NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS GIVEN TO OTHER ACFT DUE TO MY LOSS OF 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.