Pilot climbs 1500 ft above assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	303231
Time
Date	199504
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fqm
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 15064 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	303231
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc other other : unspecified cockpit
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:

IFR flight plan in VMC. Requested and cleared to climb 9000- 11000 ft. Autoplt flying during climb. Autoplt has altitude hold (which I use) but not a pre-set altitude feature. Distracted by use of chart and airplane climbed to 12500 ft. I immediately started down, and shortly after, center asked for my altitude. I acknowledged that I was high and returning to 11000 ft. I descended rapidly and reached 11000 ft in less than 1 min. Total time above assigned 11000 ft probably 3-4 mins. I commonly use autoplt in cruise or steady climb and descent, and altitude hold keeps airplane at assigned altitude. During this climb, with autoplt flying, I was consulting chart (picking out next waypoint) and forgot that I was climbing and needed to check altitude. An 'altitude alert' device would have been useful here. Or, of course, don't forget. Best preventative: don't do other work that might absorb attention during climb or descent to assigned altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT CLBS 1500 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN IN VMC. REQUESTED AND CLRED TO CLB 9000- 11000 FT. AUTOPLT FLYING DURING CLB. AUTOPLT HAS ALT HOLD (WHICH I USE) BUT NOT A PRE-SET ALT FEATURE. DISTRACTED BY USE OF CHART AND AIRPLANE CLBED TO 12500 FT. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED DOWN, AND SHORTLY AFTER, CTR ASKED FOR MY ALT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I WAS HIGH AND RETURNING TO 11000 FT. I DSNDED RAPIDLY AND REACHED 11000 FT IN LESS THAN 1 MIN. TOTAL TIME ABOVE ASSIGNED 11000 FT PROBABLY 3-4 MINS. I COMMONLY USE AUTOPLT IN CRUISE OR STEADY CLB AND DSCNT, AND ALT HOLD KEEPS AIRPLANE AT ASSIGNED ALT. DURING THIS CLB, WITH AUTOPLT FLYING, I WAS CONSULTING CHART (PICKING OUT NEXT WAYPOINT) AND FORGOT THAT I WAS CLBING AND NEEDED TO CHK ALT. AN 'ALT ALERT' DEVICE WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL HERE. OR, OF COURSE, DON'T FORGET. BEST PREVENTATIVE: DON'T DO OTHER WORK THAT MIGHT ABSORB ATTN DURING CLB OR DSCNT TO ASSIGNED ALT.

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.