Power line inspection route through TCA. Received permission but descended to 900 ft.

Attributes
ACN	245728
Time
Date	199307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	245728
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
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:

An intersection of a power line route was made through the orlando TCA. I requested 1200 ft altitude which was below the TCA floor in the sector I was in. The altitude was assigned by approach control. The route was difficult to track and I experienced problems staying on the centerline, looking for traffic which was called, and maintaining the assigned altitude. At one point I recognized that I was down to 900 ft rather than 1200 ft. I immediately climbed to correct altitude of 1200 ft. During the climb the approach controller suggested that I maintain a minimum of 1000 ft. My inadvertent failure to maintain 1000 ft clearance over a populated area caused me to be in violation of the far. I was below 1000 ft no more than 30 seconds. The infraction was caused by a temporary pilot overload. I.e., maintaining a difficult centerline track, looking for traffic called in 2 different sectors, frequency changes, position reports. I let myself get overloaded. It won't happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PWR LINE INSPECTION RTE THROUGH TCA. RECEIVED PERMISSION BUT DSNDED TO 900 FT.

Narrative: AN INTXN OF A PWR LINE RTE WAS MADE THROUGH THE ORLANDO TCA. I REQUESTED 1200 FT ALT WHICH WAS BELOW THE TCA FLOOR IN THE SECTOR I WAS IN. THE ALT WAS ASSIGNED BY APCH CTL. THE RTE WAS DIFFICULT TO TRACK AND I EXPERIENCED PROBS STAYING ON THE CTRLINE, LOOKING FOR TFC WHICH WAS CALLED, AND MAINTAINING THE ASSIGNED ALT. AT ONE POINT I RECOGNIZED THAT I WAS DOWN TO 900 FT RATHER THAN 1200 FT. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO CORRECT ALT OF 1200 FT. DURING THE CLB THE APCH CTLR SUGGESTED THAT I MAINTAIN A MINIMUM OF 1000 FT. MY INADVERTENT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN 1000 FT CLRNC OVER A POPULATED AREA CAUSED ME TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE FAR. I WAS BELOW 1000 FT NO MORE THAN 30 SECONDS. THE INFRACTION WAS CAUSED BY A TEMPORARY PLT OVERLOAD. I.E., MAINTAINING A DIFFICULT CTRLINE TRACK, LOOKING FOR TFC CALLED IN 2 DIFFERENT SECTORS, FREQ CHANGES, POS RPTS. I LET MYSELF GET OVERLOADED. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.