C310 has altitude deviation due to problems with new format of NOAA charts and rings problem.

Attributes
ACN	315255
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rmg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tower : ont
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 310/T310C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	315255
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

En route IFR dpa to fmy with fuel stop planned for pim. Diverted to rmg for personal reasons. Descended into rmg in steps from 11000 ft, final 'pre approach' descent to 3700 ft. While descending I took out the southeast vol #2 plates (the 'new' loose leaf kind). These hadn't been used yet on this cycle, so rings had to be inserted, the cover torn off and the new approach plate found without tearing the pages. Frankly, I became too engrossed and irritated by this task that I missed my altitude and approach (in a nice way) called it to my attention. I was maintaining a visual watch for traffic and terrain (I was well above it) but I should have had this task done sooner. I was expecting and received a visual approach. Really a 'non event' but a real 'busted altitude.' note: these 'new' format plates are a hazard and nuisance in many ways. I'm glad to hear government organization may back off. I enclose FYI a letter I wrote a yr ago on the subject. No reply from the addressee, but those I 'copied' wrote back, all saying they agreed completely. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he stays with the government charts because he finds them very comfortable to use -- prior to the change to rings. A letter was inserted with the july plates indicating a survey had been taken in which 58 percent of the users did not like the new publication with rings. 42 percent did like the new method. The cartographic standards branch has requested that government make both versions available. Reporter hopes that it will be soon. Reporter did admit that he should have made his revisions at home prior to the flight, but did not expect to land at the airport he did. The other reason for completing the revisions at home is due to the fallout of all the punchouts all over the aircraft. He likely will not do this again. Reporter kindly faxed a copy of the letter from the cartographic standards branch.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C310 HAS ALTDEV DUE TO PROBS WITH NEW FORMAT OF NOAA CHARTS AND RINGS PROB.

Narrative: ENRTE IFR DPA TO FMY WITH FUEL STOP PLANNED FOR PIM. DIVERTED TO RMG FOR PERSONAL REASONS. DSNDED INTO RMG IN STEPS FROM 11000 FT, FINAL 'PRE APCH' DSCNT TO 3700 FT. WHILE DSNDING I TOOK OUT THE SE VOL #2 PLATES (THE 'NEW' LOOSE LEAF KIND). THESE HADN'T BEEN USED YET ON THIS CYCLE, SO RINGS HAD TO BE INSERTED, THE COVER TORN OFF AND THE NEW APCH PLATE FOUND WITHOUT TEARING THE PAGES. FRANKLY, I BECAME TOO ENGROSSED AND IRRITATED BY THIS TASK THAT I MISSED MY ALT AND APCH (IN A NICE WAY) CALLED IT TO MY ATTN. I WAS MAINTAINING A VISUAL WATCH FOR TFC AND TERRAIN (I WAS WELL ABOVE IT) BUT I SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS TASK DONE SOONER. I WAS EXPECTING AND RECEIVED A VISUAL APCH. REALLY A 'NON EVENT' BUT A REAL 'BUSTED ALT.' NOTE: THESE 'NEW' FORMAT PLATES ARE A HAZARD AND NUISANCE IN MANY WAYS. I'M GLAD TO HEAR GOV ORGANIZATION MAY BACK OFF. I ENCLOSE FYI A LETTER I WROTE A YR AGO ON THE SUBJECT. NO REPLY FROM THE ADDRESSEE, BUT THOSE I 'COPIED' WROTE BACK, ALL SAYING THEY AGREED COMPLETELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE STAYS WITH THE GOV CHARTS BECAUSE HE FINDS THEM VERY COMFORTABLE TO USE -- PRIOR TO THE CHANGE TO RINGS. A LETTER WAS INSERTED WITH THE JULY PLATES INDICATING A SURVEY HAD BEEN TAKEN IN WHICH 58 PERCENT OF THE USERS DID NOT LIKE THE NEW PUB WITH RINGS. 42 PERCENT DID LIKE THE NEW METHOD. THE CARTOGRAPHIC STANDARDS BRANCH HAS REQUESTED THAT GOV MAKE BOTH VERSIONS AVAILABLE. RPTR HOPES THAT IT WILL BE SOON. RPTR DID ADMIT THAT HE SHOULD HAVE MADE HIS REVISIONS AT HOME PRIOR TO THE FLT, BUT DID NOT EXPECT TO LAND AT THE ARPT HE DID. THE OTHER REASON FOR COMPLETING THE REVISIONS AT HOME IS DUE TO THE FALLOUT OF ALL THE PUNCHOUTS ALL OVER THE ACFT. HE LIKELY WILL NOT DO THIS AGAIN. RPTR KINDLY FAXED A COPY OF THE LETTER FROM THE CARTOGRAPHIC STANDARDS BRANCH.

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.