Corporate small transport has altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	292800
Time
Date	199501
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxr
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5100 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	292800
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera 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:

I set the autoplt on and could not get the altitude hold button to work. I was then distracted by one of the passenger and as my head was turned around, the airplane climbed 300- 500 ft above my assigned altitude of 10000 ft. I immediately descended to 10000 ft and stayed there. The controller advised me of my deviation and I acknowledged him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE SMT HAS ALTDEV.

Narrative: I SET THE AUTOPLT ON AND COULD NOT GET THE ALT HOLD BUTTON TO WORK. I WAS THEN DISTRACTED BY ONE OF THE PAX AND AS MY HEAD WAS TURNED AROUND, THE AIRPLANE CLBED 300- 500 FT ABOVE MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 10000 FT AND STAYED THERE. THE CTLR ADVISED ME OF MY DEV AND I ACKNOWLEDGED HIM.

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.