Pilot of a PA34 seneca, in IMC for 2+ hours, has unusual attitude and subsequent altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	418037
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zse
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	418037
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Unusual attitude caused a 500 ft altitude deviation in IMC. Factors: single pilot IFR in multi-engine aircraft. 2+ hours of IMC. Immediately corrected back to 7000 ft and was at my assigned altitude when queried by ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PA34 SENECA, IN IMC FOR 2+ HRS, HAS UNUSUAL ATTITUDE AND SUBSEQUENT ALTDEV.

Narrative: UNUSUAL ATTITUDE CAUSED A 500 FT ALTDEV IN IMC. FACTORS: SINGLE PLT IFR IN MULTI-ENG ACFT. 2+ HRS OF IMC. IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK TO 7000 FT AND WAS AT MY ASSIGNED ALT WHEN QUERIED BY ATC.

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.