A piper warrior failed to maintain its assigned altitude while his passenger were taking pictures. E...

Attributes
ACN	341760
Time
Date	199607
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	341760
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Momentarily descended below altitude. I was at by a few hundred ft while double checking class B charts and while fixing radio due to 'squealing' noise on frequency. Aircraft was a piper warrior and we were just north of the class B airspace taking photos (passenger were taking photos). ATC said nothing about altitude or class B proximity (we were getting flight following/traffic). I believe if ATC gave better class B proximity information, I would not need to constantly track myself with chart. Normally ATC is very good with this, but controller I was speaking to was not. I also believe my unfamiliarity to said area's airspace was a factor (new to area).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER WARRIOR FAILED TO MAINTAIN ITS ASSIGNED ALT WHILE HIS PAX WERE TAKING PICTURES. ERROR ADMITTED.

Narrative: MOMENTARILY DSNDED BELOW ALT. I WAS AT BY A FEW HUNDRED FT WHILE DOUBLE CHKING CLASS B CHARTS AND WHILE FIXING RADIO DUE TO 'SQUEALING' NOISE ON FREQ. ACFT WAS A PIPER WARRIOR AND WE WERE JUST N OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE TAKING PHOTOS (PAX WERE TAKING PHOTOS). ATC SAID NOTHING ABOUT ALT OR CLASS B PROX (WE WERE GETTING FLT FOLLOWING/TFC). I BELIEVE IF ATC GAVE BETTER CLASS B PROX INFO, I WOULD NOT NEED TO CONSTANTLY TRACK MYSELF WITH CHART. NORMALLY ATC IS VERY GOOD WITH THIS, BUT CTLR I WAS SPEAKING TO WAS NOT. I ALSO BELIEVE MY UNFAMILIARITY TO SAID AREA'S AIRSPACE WAS A FACTOR (NEW TO AREA).

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.

A piper warrior failed to maintain its assigned altitude while his passenger were taking pictures. Error admitted.