An air carrier flight crew flying an SF340 from pvd failed to maintain altitude as assigned by ATC.

Attributes
ACN	453300
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd.tracon tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5200
ASRS Report	453300
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
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:

We departed runway 5R at pvd, cleared to 4000 ft initially runway heading then radar vectors to turn wbound. As I turned west, I was sight limited due to having the sun directly in our eyes. I reached up for the sun visor, pulled it down, looked back at altitude and could now see we were 4300 ft MSL. Immediately started a descent, however, we reached 4400 ft MSL (for passenger comfort a slower pitch change). Altitude deviation was only a few seconds. However, next time I will plan for a west turn departure into the sun, including turning up the panel lights and preadjusting the sun visor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING AN SF340 FROM PVD FAILED TO MAINTAIN ALT AS ASSIGNED BY ATC.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RWY 5R AT PVD, CLRED TO 4000 FT INITIALLY RWY HDG THEN RADAR VECTORS TO TURN WBOUND. AS I TURNED W, I WAS SIGHT LIMITED DUE TO HAVING THE SUN DIRECTLY IN OUR EYES. I REACHED UP FOR THE SUN VISOR, PULLED IT DOWN, LOOKED BACK AT ALT AND COULD NOW SEE WE WERE 4300 FT MSL. IMMEDIATELY STARTED A DSCNT, HOWEVER, WE REACHED 4400 FT MSL (FOR PAX COMFORT A SLOWER PITCH CHANGE). ALTDEV WAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS. HOWEVER, NEXT TIME I WILL PLAN FOR A W TURN DEP INTO THE SUN, INCLUDING TURNING UP THE PANEL LIGHTS AND PREADJUSTING THE SUN VISOR.

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.