Narrative:

I was climbing out of agc en route to ric. I was talking with pittsburgh approach and was cleared to climb and maintain 7000 ft. For some reason I leveled off at 5000 ft and was there for several mins before hearing from ATC. They questioned whether I had in fact leveled off at 5000 ft, and advised that I was told to climb and maintain 7000 ft. In a moment of disbelief I glanced at my make-shift altitude alerter and was surprised to see that I had in fact set 7000 ft. After acknowledging my mistake and offering to hurry up to 7000 ft I was told that I could remain at 5000 ft if I preferred because there was apparently no conflict. I chose to remain at 5000 ft with no further discussion. I find it difficult to come up with any reasonable explanation for my overlook of the proper altitude. Perhaps I was tired and/or stressed without knowing, and my temporary absent-mindedness was a result. I was certainly aware of my initial clearance, as evidenced by my setting of 7000 ft into my 'altitude alerter.' perhaps my clearance of 5000 ft the previous night on the same run affected the situation, although it certainly should not have. In a single pilot operation such as I was flying, one does not have the luxury of the second set of eyes and ears to help out in these sits. A second pilot could have prevented my premature leveling off and would certainly prevent the recurrence of many similar sits.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI CARGO PLT HAS ALTDEV ON CLBOUT. ALT ALERTER IS SET CORRECTLY.

Narrative: I WAS CLBING OUT OF AGC ENRTE TO RIC. I WAS TALKING WITH PITTSBURGH APCH AND WAS CLRED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. FOR SOME REASON I LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT AND WAS THERE FOR SEVERAL MINS BEFORE HEARING FROM ATC. THEY QUESTIONED WHETHER I HAD IN FACT LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT, AND ADVISED THAT I WAS TOLD TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. IN A MOMENT OF DISBELIEF I GLANCED AT MY MAKE-SHIFT ALT ALERTER AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT I HAD IN FACT SET 7000 FT. AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING MY MISTAKE AND OFFERING TO HURRY UP TO 7000 FT I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD REMAIN AT 5000 FT IF I PREFERRED BECAUSE THERE WAS APPARENTLY NO CONFLICT. I CHOSE TO REMAIN AT 5000 FT WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO COME UP WITH ANY REASONABLE EXPLANATION FOR MY OVERLOOK OF THE PROPER ALT. PERHAPS I WAS TIRED AND/OR STRESSED WITHOUT KNOWING, AND MY TEMPORARY ABSENT-MINDEDNESS WAS A RESULT. I WAS CERTAINLY AWARE OF MY INITIAL CLRNC, AS EVIDENCED BY MY SETTING OF 7000 FT INTO MY 'ALT ALERTER.' PERHAPS MY CLRNC OF 5000 FT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT ON THE SAME RUN AFFECTED THE SIT, ALTHOUGH IT CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT HAVE. IN A SINGLE PLT OP SUCH AS I WAS FLYING, ONE DOES NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF THE SECOND SET OF EYES AND EARS TO HELP OUT IN THESE SITS. A SECOND PLT COULD HAVE PREVENTED MY PREMATURE LEVELING OFF AND WOULD CERTAINLY PREVENT THE RECURRENCE OF MANY SIMILAR SITS.

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.