Instrument student in an sel small aircraft climbed above assigned altitude during holding practice resulting in the instructor taking aircraft control and descending back to assigned altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	420080
Time
Date	199811
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ubg
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	enroute airway : pdx
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 1160
ASRS Report	420080
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had just received my instrument teaching certification less than 1 week before altitude deviation. This happened to be my first instrument student. We filed an IFR flight plan and our first mission was VOR holding. At the time there was a SIGMET for moderate to occasional severe turbulence. It just happened that we were receiving continuous moderate turbulence and southwest winds near 40 KTS at cruise altitude. The student was having some perceived difficulties with his full workload of navigation, communication, cockpit organization and WX. Altitude throughout the flight was +/-250 ft from assigned altitude. I, as the instructor, was continuously getting on him about his disregard on altitude. It just so happened that on one instance the student had begun correcting for altitude when I was distraction by something else in the cockpit. How much time elapsed I can only guess. Maybe 15 seconds. Maybe 30 seconds. By that time the damage was done. The student had strayed +500 ft from assigned altitude. I caught the deviation just as we reached +500 ft and immediately caused the aircraft to return to assigned altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST STUDENT IN AN SEL SMA CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT DURING HOLDING PRACTICE RESULTING IN THE INSTRUCTOR TAKING ACFT CTL AND DSNDING BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I HAD JUST RECEIVED MY INST TEACHING CERTIFICATION LESS THAN 1 WK BEFORE ALTDEV. THIS HAPPENED TO BE MY FIRST INST STUDENT. WE FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND OUR FIRST MISSION WAS VOR HOLDING. AT THE TIME THERE WAS A SIGMET FOR MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURB. IT JUST HAPPENED THAT WE WERE RECEIVING CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB AND SW WINDS NEAR 40 KTS AT CRUISE ALT. THE STUDENT WAS HAVING SOME PERCEIVED DIFFICULTIES WITH HIS FULL WORKLOAD OF NAV, COM, COCKPIT ORGANIZATION AND WX. ALT THROUGHOUT THE FLT WAS +/-250 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT. I, AS THE INSTRUCTOR, WAS CONTINUOUSLY GETTING ON HIM ABOUT HIS DISREGARD ON ALT. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT ON ONE INSTANCE THE STUDENT HAD BEGUN CORRECTING FOR ALT WHEN I WAS DISTR BY SOMETHING ELSE IN THE COCKPIT. HOW MUCH TIME ELAPSED I CAN ONLY GUESS. MAYBE 15 SECONDS. MAYBE 30 SECONDS. BY THAT TIME THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. THE STUDENT HAD STRAYED +500 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT. I CAUGHT THE DEV JUST AS WE REACHED +500 FT AND IMMEDIATELY CAUSED THE ACFT TO RETURN TO ASSIGNED ALT.

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.