PA34-200T altitude deviation near smf.

Attributes
ACN	452600
Time
Date	199910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-200T Turbo Seneca II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 131 flight time total : 2417 flight time type : 430
ASRS Report	452600
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar altitude other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to descend and maintain 7000 ft. I read back the clearance correctly and then set my altitude alerter wrong to 6000 ft. While descending through 6700 ft, center asked, 'say assigned altitude.' I stated 7000 ft and immediately took corrective action. Center then cleared me to 5000 ft. Cause was simply -- my lack of attention to detail while descending VFR on an IFR flight to a hard altitude. Corrective action: pay closer attention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34-200T ALTDEV NEAR SMF.

Narrative: CLRED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. I READ BACK THE CLRNC CORRECTLY AND THEN SET MY ALT ALERTER WRONG TO 6000 FT. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 6700 FT, CTR ASKED, 'SAY ASSIGNED ALT.' I STATED 7000 FT AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION. CTR THEN CLRED ME TO 5000 FT. CAUSE WAS SIMPLY -- MY LACK OF ATTN TO DETAIL WHILE DSNDING VFR ON AN IFR FLT TO A HARD ALT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PAY CLOSER ATTN.

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.