Narrative:

I was flying on my first flight in solid IMC on an IFR flight plan in almost 2 months. The aircraft was still relatively new to me. I had just checked out in it about 2 weeks earlier. Shortly after leveling at 4000 ft I was distracted. When I looked back at the altimeter it was close to reading 3800 ft. I do not know if I actually busted my altitude or not. When I caught my error, I was just inside the altitude limits. I believe factors that contributed to my error were: low time in aircraft, no recent IFR experience (even though I was current), the turbulence, and also, we had just missed the VOR 21 approach at danville (my first miss due to WX ever). The approach had been physically draining, and thus, when I reached 4000 ft, my first reaction was to relax. I feel that the event would have been avoided if I was more experienced in the aircraft type, and if I had had more recent experience in IMC conditions, under IFR flight plans. I did have a CFI on board, but he was busy with other tasks when the incident occurred. If I did have one thing going for me, it was the fact he was there. I would have been even more behind the aircraft if I didn't have him to help me handle charts, radios, etc. If I learned one thing, it was to know my limits, and never give up on my scan, even for a second.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON INST TRAINING FLT, AFTER MISSED APCH, ALLOWS ALT TO DEVIATE AT LEAST 200 FT. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR WAS BUSY AT OTHER CHORES.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON MY FIRST FLT IN SOLID IMC ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN ALMOST 2 MONTHS. THE ACFT WAS STILL RELATIVELY NEW TO ME. I HAD JUST CHKED OUT IN IT ABOUT 2 WKS EARLIER. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT 4000 FT I WAS DISTRACTED. WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE ALTIMETER IT WAS CLOSE TO READING 3800 FT. I DO NOT KNOW IF I ACTUALLY BUSTED MY ALT OR NOT. WHEN I CAUGHT MY ERROR, I WAS JUST INSIDE THE ALT LIMITS. I BELIEVE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY ERROR WERE: LOW TIME IN ACFT, NO RECENT IFR EXPERIENCE (EVEN THOUGH I WAS CURRENT), THE TURB, AND ALSO, WE HAD JUST MISSED THE VOR 21 APCH AT DANVILLE (MY FIRST MISS DUE TO WX EVER). THE APCH HAD BEEN PHYSICALLY DRAINING, AND THUS, WHEN I REACHED 4000 FT, MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO RELAX. I FEEL THAT THE EVENT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I WAS MORE EXPERIENCED IN THE ACFT TYPE, AND IF I HAD HAD MORE RECENT EXPERIENCE IN IMC CONDITIONS, UNDER IFR FLT PLANS. I DID HAVE A CFI ON BOARD, BUT HE WAS BUSY WITH OTHER TASKS WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. IF I DID HAVE ONE THING GOING FOR ME, IT WAS THE FACT HE WAS THERE. I WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE BEHIND THE ACFT IF I DIDN'T HAVE HIM TO HELP ME HANDLE CHARTS, RADIOS, ETC. IF I LEARNED ONE THING, IT WAS TO KNOW MY LIMITS, AND NEVER GIVE UP ON MY SCAN, EVEN FOR A SECOND.

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.