Small transport pilot missed a heading and altitude clearance.

Attributes
ACN	449740
Time
Date	199909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	449740
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Some avionics hum caused me to miss a clearance to a new heading and altitude, while I was trying to figure out the problem. No hazard existed with other planes or terrain, but controller had to remind me twice to turn to new heading. I got momentarily too involved in solving the hum problem and not flying the airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT MISSED A HDG AND ALT CLRNC.

Narrative: SOME AVIONICS HUM CAUSED ME TO MISS A CLRNC TO A NEW HDG AND ALT, WHILE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PROB. NO HAZARD EXISTED WITH OTHER PLANES OR TERRAIN, BUT CTLR HAD TO REMIND ME TWICE TO TURN TO NEW HDG. I GOT MOMENTARILY TOO INVOLVED IN SOLVING THE HUM PROB AND NOT FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

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.