Heading track altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	242284
Time
Date	199305
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : czyz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 540 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	242284
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying the victor airway from buffalo towards xyu. I was coupled with the buffalo VOR on my autoplt. I was in IMC conditions and I was distracted by passenger. My autoplt and directional gyroscope uncoupled. I was called by toronto center to be informed I had turned 130 degrees. I was startled to see my gyroscope was bouncing back and forth and advised toronto center that my autoplt or gyroscope had malfunctioned at which time I turned back on course with the use of the VOR alone. During this time my altitude also approached 6400 ft, of which was also corrected. I asked center to keep me advised of my heading until I could verify which instruments were working. The gyroscope eventually settled down. I switched the autoplt off and flew normal. Later I turned autoplt on and it worked. However I kept a close watch the rest of my trip. Since this trip, I am having the autoplt and gyroscope looked at. I believe the initial cause of the problem was an autoplt malfunction. The fact that I was distracted and not paying as close of attention as I should have allowed the aircraft to make the slow turn unnoticed. Lesson learned is: not to over rely on the autoplt, and with or without distrs the PIC must always aviate and navigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK ALTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE VICTOR AIRWAY FROM BUFFALO TOWARDS XYU. I WAS COUPLED WITH THE BUFFALO VOR ON MY AUTOPLT. I WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS AND I WAS DISTRACTED BY PAX. MY AUTOPLT AND DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE UNCOUPLED. I WAS CALLED BY TORONTO CTR TO BE INFORMED I HAD TURNED 130 DEGS. I WAS STARTLED TO SEE MY GYROSCOPE WAS BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH AND ADVISED TORONTO CTR THAT MY AUTOPLT OR GYROSCOPE HAD MALFUNCTIONED AT WHICH TIME I TURNED BACK ON COURSE WITH THE USE OF THE VOR ALONE. DURING THIS TIME MY ALT ALSO APCHED 6400 FT, OF WHICH WAS ALSO CORRECTED. I ASKED CTR TO KEEP ME ADVISED OF MY HDG UNTIL I COULD VERIFY WHICH INSTS WERE WORKING. THE GYROSCOPE EVENTUALLY SETTLED DOWN. I SWITCHED THE AUTOPLT OFF AND FLEW NORMAL. LATER I TURNED AUTOPLT ON AND IT WORKED. HOWEVER I KEPT A CLOSE WATCH THE REST OF MY TRIP. SINCE THIS TRIP, I AM HAVING THE AUTOPLT AND GYROSCOPE LOOKED AT. I BELIEVE THE INITIAL CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS AN AUTOPLT MALFUNCTION. THE FACT THAT I WAS DISTRACTED AND NOT PAYING AS CLOSE OF ATTN AS I SHOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE ACFT TO MAKE THE SLOW TURN UNNOTICED. LESSON LEARNED IS: NOT TO OVER RELY ON THE AUTOPLT, AND WITH OR WITHOUT DISTRS THE PIC MUST ALWAYS AVIATE AND NAV.

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.