Small aircraft on IFR flight plan has altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	243068
Time
Date	199306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : blf
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 573 flight time type : 465
ASRS Report	243068
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was cruising at 8000 ft along cloud tops. Encountered turbulence causing altitude to increase to 8200 ft. ATC asked altitude. I reported 8200 ft, going back down to 8000 ft. ATC advised traffic at 10 O'clock (I never saw traffic). ATC also advised I was to call quality assurance. The same controller questioned the altitude of at least 2 other planes within a very short time. Appeared there was scattered turbulence over the mountains.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN HAS ALTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS CRUISING AT 8000 FT ALONG CLOUD TOPS. ENCOUNTERED TURB CAUSING ALT TO INCREASE TO 8200 FT. ATC ASKED ALT. I RPTED 8200 FT, GOING BACK DOWN TO 8000 FT. ATC ADVISED TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK (I NEVER SAW TFC). ATC ALSO ADVISED I WAS TO CALL QUALITY ASSURANCE. THE SAME CTLR QUESTIONED THE ALT OF AT LEAST 2 OTHER PLANES WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME. APPEARED THERE WAS SCATTERED TURB OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

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.