BE55 pilot finds he is 60 ft above assigned altitude when given a new altimeter setting. He disconne...

Attributes
ACN	373601
Time
Date	199707
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etx
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8650 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v30
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 59 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	373601
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I left beh on an IFR flight plan. I flew through a good deal of IFR WX which became good VFR east of pittsburgh, but I continued on my IFR flight plan. I have a new GPS which has been IFR approved and I have been working with it to become more proficient. I had intended to shoot a GPS 23 approach into the destination airport (dyl) even though it was VFR. I had just loaded in the approach to use groom as the final approach fix assuming I would go from etx direct to dyl as filed. At this point a new traffic controller came on with a new altimeter setting. With the new setting I was about 60 ft above 9000 ft so I took off the altitude hold and pushed the rocker arm to descend at a slow rate of 9000 ft. At the same time the controller told me to go direct to ard. I decided to use my GPS to its fullest and put in ard direct to jump ahead of groom (which worked very well) but I forgot to put on the altitude hold at 9000 ft and consequently descended to 8650 ft (350 ft below 9000 ft). The traffic controller alerted me (very politely) as to my intentions and I apologized and said I would return to 9000 ft. I flew this GPS all the way to kalispel and back and this was my only goof. My error was becoming too mesmerized with the GPS and forgot my altitude which is something I rarely do and is indicated by the fact that although the new altimeter setting showed me only 60 ft high, I wanted it right on 9000 ft. If I had left it 60 ft high, I would have been ok without trying to correct. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that everybody should have a GPS, it should be panel mounted and it should be integrated with the aircraft system. However, the published materials need to be written for pilots, not scientists. They should teach how to get from point a to point B and how to make en route changes. One does not need to know the scientific backgnd or workings of the unit, just how to use it for flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT FINDS HE IS 60 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT WHEN GIVEN A NEW ALTIMETER SETTING. HE DISCONNECTS ALT HOLD TO DSND THEN GETS BUSY REPROGRAMMING GPS AND DSNDS 350 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I LEFT BEH ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I FLEW THROUGH A GOOD DEAL OF IFR WX WHICH BECAME GOOD VFR E OF PITTSBURGH, BUT I CONTINUED ON MY IFR FLT PLAN. I HAVE A NEW GPS WHICH HAS BEEN IFR APPROVED AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH IT TO BECOME MORE PROFICIENT. I HAD INTENDED TO SHOOT A GPS 23 APCH INTO THE DEST ARPT (DYL) EVEN THOUGH IT WAS VFR. I HAD JUST LOADED IN THE APCH TO USE GROOM AS THE FINAL APCH FIX ASSUMING I WOULD GO FROM ETX DIRECT TO DYL AS FILED. AT THIS POINT A NEW TFC CTLR CAME ON WITH A NEW ALTIMETER SETTING. WITH THE NEW SETTING I WAS ABOUT 60 FT ABOVE 9000 FT SO I TOOK OFF THE ALT HOLD AND PUSHED THE ROCKER ARM TO DSND AT A SLOW RATE OF 9000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR TOLD ME TO GO DIRECT TO ARD. I DECIDED TO USE MY GPS TO ITS FULLEST AND PUT IN ARD DIRECT TO JUMP AHEAD OF GROOM (WHICH WORKED VERY WELL) BUT I FORGOT TO PUT ON THE ALT HOLD AT 9000 FT AND CONSEQUENTLY DSNDED TO 8650 FT (350 FT BELOW 9000 FT). THE TFC CTLR ALERTED ME (VERY POLITELY) AS TO MY INTENTIONS AND I APOLOGIZED AND SAID I WOULD RETURN TO 9000 FT. I FLEW THIS GPS ALL THE WAY TO KALISPEL AND BACK AND THIS WAS MY ONLY GOOF. MY ERROR WAS BECOMING TOO MESMERIZED WITH THE GPS AND FORGOT MY ALT WHICH IS SOMETHING I RARELY DO AND IS INDICATED BY THE FACT THAT ALTHOUGH THE NEW ALTIMETER SETTING SHOWED ME ONLY 60 FT HIGH, I WANTED IT RIGHT ON 9000 FT. IF I HAD LEFT IT 60 FT HIGH, I WOULD HAVE BEEN OK WITHOUT TRYING TO CORRECT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A GPS, IT SHOULD BE PANEL MOUNTED AND IT SHOULD BE INTEGRATED WITH THE ACFT SYS. HOWEVER, THE PUBLISHED MATERIALS NEED TO BE WRITTEN FOR PLTS, NOT SCIENTISTS. THEY SHOULD TEACH HOW TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND HOW TO MAKE ENRTE CHANGES. ONE DOES NOT NEED TO KNOW THE SCIENTIFIC BACKGND OR WORKINGS OF THE UNIT, JUST HOW TO USE IT FOR FLT.

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.

BE55 pilot finds he is 60 ft above assigned altitude when given a new altimeter setting. He disconnects altitude hold to descend then gets busy reprogramming GPS and descends 350 ft below assigned altitude.