Atx small transport accidentally climbs into TCA. Pilot turns off transponder to mask his mistake.

Attributes
ACN	245857
Time
Date	199307
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cmk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	245857
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This occurrence was just so stupid I just can't believe myself. Beautiful night VMC prevailed. Visibility exceeded 25 mi. There was no ceiling. Stars were visible. I began to listen to the am radio station, to keep myself from being bored. I suddenly noticed that I had apparently climbed through the base of the TCA shelf above me. The TCA shelf floor is at 3000 ft MSL at my position. I saw the altimeter needles rolling through 3600 ft MSL. I slammed the throttles to idle, turned off the transponder, pushed the nose over, and plunged at at least 3000 FPM to below 3000 ft MSL. At no time did objects in the cabin leave the floor or seats, so the maneuver was between 1.0 G and something like 0.2 G. A few mi later, I could have climbed all I wanted without hitting the TCA boundaries. I was squawking 1200 and I was not talking to anybody at the time. I just got complacent and didn't feel like dealing with ATC on such a beautiful night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT ACCIDENTALLY CLBS INTO TCA. PLT TURNS OFF XPONDER TO MASK HIS MISTAKE.

Narrative: THIS OCCURRENCE WAS JUST SO STUPID I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE MYSELF. BEAUTIFUL NIGHT VMC PREVAILED. VISIBILITY EXCEEDED 25 MI. THERE WAS NO CEILING. STARS WERE VISIBLE. I BEGAN TO LISTEN TO THE AM RADIO STATION, TO KEEP MYSELF FROM BEING BORED. I SUDDENLY NOTICED THAT I HAD APPARENTLY CLBED THROUGH THE BASE OF THE TCA SHELF ABOVE ME. THE TCA SHELF FLOOR IS AT 3000 FT MSL AT MY POS. I SAW THE ALTIMETER NEEDLES ROLLING THROUGH 3600 FT MSL. I SLAMMED THE THROTTLES TO IDLE, TURNED OFF THE XPONDER, PUSHED THE NOSE OVER, AND PLUNGED AT AT LEAST 3000 FPM TO BELOW 3000 FT MSL. AT NO TIME DID OBJECTS IN THE CABIN LEAVE THE FLOOR OR SEATS, SO THE MANEUVER WAS BTWN 1.0 G AND SOMETHING LIKE 0.2 G. A FEW MI LATER, I COULD HAVE CLBED ALL I WANTED WITHOUT HITTING THE TCA BOUNDARIES. I WAS SQUAWKING 1200 AND I WAS NOT TALKING TO ANYBODY AT THE TIME. I JUST GOT COMPLACENT AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE DEALING WITH ATC ON SUCH A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT.

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.