RV4 pilot made erratic climb to FL200.

Attributes
ACN	435023
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc tower : sgf.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : v6.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 340
ASRS Report	435023
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was fly eastbound on V6 at 11000 ft. I was concerned about icing ahead forecast from 8000 ft to FL180 ft. I asked center if any icing was reported ahead. After a little discussion, I was informed that FL200 was free of ice. I elected to climb to FL200, and made a number of minor errors along the way. 1) I had configured my oxygen system with nasul canula good only to FL180. 2) when I reached FL200, I forgot to reset my altimeter to 29.92. 3) the climb was very sloppy. I was busy with my oxygen and wandered slightly of course. Slow climbed, leveled out, and maybe slightly descended at some points. I made it to FL200 and to my knowledge ATC did not complain about any of this. I am pretty sure most of the errors were minor. The flight ended with an emergency landing with no damage, as a result of a blocked engine breather line, which blew out the front crank seal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RV4 PLT MADE ERRATIC CLB TO FL200.

Narrative: I WAS FLY EBOUND ON V6 AT 11000 FT. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ICING AHEAD FORECAST FROM 8000 FT TO FL180 FT. I ASKED CTR IF ANY ICING WAS RPTED AHEAD. AFTER A LITTLE DISCUSSION, I WAS INFORMED THAT FL200 WAS FREE OF ICE. I ELECTED TO CLB TO FL200, AND MADE A NUMBER OF MINOR ERRORS ALONG THE WAY. 1) I HAD CONFIGURED MY OXYGEN SYS WITH NASUL CANULA GOOD ONLY TO FL180. 2) WHEN I REACHED FL200, I FORGOT TO RESET MY ALTIMETER TO 29.92. 3) THE CLB WAS VERY SLOPPY. I WAS BUSY WITH MY OXYGEN AND WANDERED SLIGHTLY OF COURSE. SLOW CLBED, LEVELED OUT, AND MAYBE SLIGHTLY DSNDED AT SOME POINTS. I MADE IT TO FL200 AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE ATC DID NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT ANY OF THIS. I AM PRETTY SURE MOST OF THE ERRORS WERE MINOR. THE FLT ENDED WITH AN EMER LNDG WITH NO DAMAGE, AS A RESULT OF A BLOCKED ENG BREATHER LINE, WHICH BLEW OUT THE FRONT CRANK SEAL.

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.