Private instrument rated pilot of a piper PA28-180 (paro) was notified by ATC that he was cruising 3...

Attributes
ACN	402400
Time
Date	199805
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gcn
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czqx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v210
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 730 flight time type : 575
ASRS Report	402400
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was my first experience in actual IFR conditions without an instructor. I didn't expect IMC so I didn't file an IFR flight plan. About 1 hour into my 3 hour flight, I encountered clouds that I couldn't climb over. I air-filed an IFR flight plan and was given an IFR clearance. As I was flying along, controllers kept giving me altimeter settings approximately every 5 mins. About 15 mins after I entered IMC, my static port froze over (in spite of the heat being turned on) so I activated the alternate static source. I decided I should check with ATC to ensure accuracy given the alternate air. They informed me that I had consistently been showing 300 ft high ever since I came on-line with them. I don't know if anything will come of this incident in terms of an enforcement action, but I can't understand why they didn't just say something about my altitude. I was patting myself on the back as I was flying along because according to my altimeter, I was holding altitude +/-75 ft -- not bad for my first time, I thought. The cherokee I was flying belongs to a friend of mine who regularly flies IFR with it. I've notified him of the discrepancy and I'm sure he'll have the problem analyzed and corrected, if necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT INST RATED PLT OF A PIPER PA28-180 (PARO) WAS NOTIFIED BY ATC THAT HE WAS CRUISING 300 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED. THE RPTR BELIEVED THAT HE WAS AT ASSIGNED ALT EVEN THOUGH HE HAD GONE TO ALTERNATE AIR STATIC SOURCE AFTER THE NORMAL STATIC SOURCE HAD FROZEN OVER IN THE CLOUDS.

Narrative: IT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN ACTUAL IFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT AN INSTRUCTOR. I DIDN'T EXPECT IMC SO I DIDN'T FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN. ABOUT 1 HR INTO MY 3 HR FLT, I ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS THAT I COULDN'T CLB OVER. I AIR-FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND WAS GIVEN AN IFR CLRNC. AS I WAS FLYING ALONG, CTLRS KEPT GIVING ME ALTIMETER SETTINGS APPROX EVERY 5 MINS. ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER I ENTERED IMC, MY STATIC PORT FROZE OVER (IN SPITE OF THE HEAT BEING TURNED ON) SO I ACTIVATED THE ALTERNATE STATIC SOURCE. I DECIDED I SHOULD CHK WITH ATC TO ENSURE ACCURACY GIVEN THE ALTERNATE AIR. THEY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD CONSISTENTLY BEEN SHOWING 300 FT HIGH EVER SINCE I CAME ON-LINE WITH THEM. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING WILL COME OF THIS INCIDENT IN TERMS OF AN ENFORCEMENT ACTION, BUT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DIDN'T JUST SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MY ALT. I WAS PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK AS I WAS FLYING ALONG BECAUSE ACCORDING TO MY ALTIMETER, I WAS HOLDING ALT +/-75 FT -- NOT BAD FOR MY FIRST TIME, I THOUGHT. THE CHEROKEE I WAS FLYING BELONGS TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO REGULARLY FLIES IFR WITH IT. I'VE NOTIFIED HIM OF THE DISCREPANCY AND I'M SURE HE'LL HAVE THE PROB ANALYZED AND CORRECTED, IF NECESSARY.

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.

Private instrument rated pilot of a piper PA28-180 (paro) was notified by ATC that he was cruising 300 ft above assigned. The reporter believed that he was at assigned altitude even though he had gone to alternate air static source after the normal static source had frozen over in the clouds.