Altitude deviation occurs during WX deviation.

Attributes
ACN	273873
Time
Date	199406
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pdx tower : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	273873
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was flying IFR and had been cleared for approach '28L VOR at pdx' when I encountered what was later described as 'level 4' storm clouds by the tower. I then asked to deviation to the river (north) so as to go towards visual conditions and either a downdraft or my extra duty's in deviation 'as approved' by tower, I lost approximately 400 ft of altitude 'below' descent requirements. Ie, 1700-1200 MSL. I feel through the controller's abbreviated ATIS 'that he volunteered' I should have been notified of that activity and or vectored around it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he descended through an overcast and was being tossed about. It suddenly got very dark and dead ahead was a level 4 storm. Controller gave an abbreviated ATIS as the ATIS was in the process of being updated. Controller however did not mention this storm or clouds. Reporter feels this was a major oversight on controllers part. Nobody said anything about the altitude deviation and he feels there will be no problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV OCCURS DURING WX DEV.

Narrative: WAS FLYING IFR AND HAD BEEN CLRED FOR APCH '28L VOR AT PDX' WHEN I ENCOUNTERED WHAT WAS LATER DESCRIBED AS 'LEVEL 4' STORM CLOUDS BY THE TWR. I THEN ASKED TO DEV TO THE RIVER (N) SO AS TO GO TOWARDS VISUAL CONDITIONS AND EITHER A DOWNDRAFT OR MY EXTRA DUTY'S IN DEV 'AS APPROVED' BY TWR, I LOST APPROX 400 FT OF ALT 'BELOW' DSCNT REQUIREMENTS. IE, 1700-1200 MSL. I FEEL THROUGH THE CTLR'S ABBREVIATED ATIS 'THAT HE VOLUNTEERED' I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THAT ACTIVITY AND OR VECTORED AROUND IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE DSNDED THROUGH AN OVCST AND WAS BEING TOSSED ABOUT. IT SUDDENLY GOT VERY DARK AND DEAD AHEAD WAS A LEVEL 4 STORM. CTLR GAVE AN ABBREVIATED ATIS AS THE ATIS WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED. CTLR HOWEVER DID NOT MENTION THIS STORM OR CLOUDS. RPTR FEELS THIS WAS A MAJOR OVERSIGHT ON CTLRS PART. NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE ALTDEV AND HE FEELS THERE WILL BE NO PROB.

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.