A private instrument rated pilot flying C172 from tcy becomes distraction programming his GPS navigation system and allows his aircraft to descend below his clearance altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	443691
Time
Date	199907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tcy.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5300 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sck.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 468 flight time type : 342
ASRS Report	443691
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lost 700 ft altitude while setting up vors and GPS. Had taken off from tcy VFR, unable to contact approach from the ground. Requested open IFR flight plan. Was idented on radar, given a heading and a clearance. I had filed direct but was given clearance via V111. I had difficulty setting up the GPS for V111, was not receiving sns and signal from mod did not agree with visual location. Problem was resolved by correctly setting up the GPS and realizing that the obs for mod was set 180 degrees off. None of my IFR training included GPS. The kln-89B is not intuitive. I did seek out an instructor and flew sessions with GPS but could not find an instructor familiar with kln-89B. I resolved to learn by flying IFR in VMC to learn. So I was trying to focus on the GPS. Also very little of IFR instruction is given with the pilot also responsible with see and avoid so this flight seemed to have additional workload during head down time. Simplified GPS and GPS training could have gone a long way to avoid a problem like this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT INST RATED PLT FLYING C172 FROM TCY BECOMES DISTR PROGRAMMING HIS GPS NAV SYS AND ALLOWS HIS ACFT TO DSND BELOW HIS CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: LOST 700 FT ALT WHILE SETTING UP VORS AND GPS. HAD TAKEN OFF FROM TCY VFR, UNABLE TO CONTACT APCH FROM THE GND. REQUESTED OPEN IFR FLT PLAN. WAS IDENTED ON RADAR, GIVEN A HDG AND A CLRNC. I HAD FILED DIRECT BUT WAS GIVEN CLRNC VIA V111. I HAD DIFFICULTY SETTING UP THE GPS FOR V111, WAS NOT RECEIVING SNS AND SIGNAL FROM MOD DID NOT AGREE WITH VISUAL LOCATION. PROB WAS RESOLVED BY CORRECTLY SETTING UP THE GPS AND REALIZING THAT THE OBS FOR MOD WAS SET 180 DEGS OFF. NONE OF MY IFR TRAINING INCLUDED GPS. THE KLN-89B IS NOT INTUITIVE. I DID SEEK OUT AN INSTRUCTOR AND FLEW SESSIONS WITH GPS BUT COULD NOT FIND AN INSTRUCTOR FAMILIAR WITH KLN-89B. I RESOLVED TO LEARN BY FLYING IFR IN VMC TO LEARN. SO I WAS TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE GPS. ALSO VERY LITTLE OF IFR INSTRUCTION IS GIVEN WITH THE PLT ALSO RESPONSIBLE WITH SEE AND AVOID SO THIS FLT SEEMED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD DURING HEAD DOWN TIME. SIMPLIFIED GPS AND GPS TRAINING COULD HAVE GONE A LONG WAY TO AVOID A PROB LIKE THIS.

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.