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A PA32 CFI pilot leaves his assigned altitude when adjusting the altimeter with the aircraft on autoplt with altitude hold while on frequency with ZTL, GA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 495590 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200012 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ztl.artcc |
| State Reference | GA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Ice |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 40 |
| ASRS Report | 495590 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
IFR -- assigned an altitude. Trying to stay out of ice conditions. Autoplt was on and when I was readjusting the altimeter the autoplt disengaged and abruptly nosed over. With the adjustment and nosing over, the controller gave me a descent clearance. By the time I reacted and brought the nose back to level and also lowering the barometer, the controller asked me about descending so fast before he was done giving me the clearance by my mode C readout. When corrective action was taken, I would say 300 ft was lost, but no more. Lower clearance was authorized at the same time (within seconds) of the occurrence. Single engine, night, being tired were small factors possibly. Reaction time slower, trying to stay clear of WX (ice), new equipment (not totally comfortable with), equipment malfunctions (pilot overload for a brief time). At no time was any safety of the flight compromised. Hand flew rest of way with no problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PA32 CFI PLT LEAVES HIS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN ADJUSTING THE ALTIMETER WITH THE ACFT ON AUTOPLT WITH ALT HOLD WHILE ON FREQ WITH ZTL, GA.
Narrative: IFR -- ASSIGNED AN ALT. TRYING TO STAY OUT OF ICE CONDITIONS. AUTOPLT WAS ON AND WHEN I WAS READJUSTING THE ALTIMETER THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED AND ABRUPTLY NOSED OVER. WITH THE ADJUSTMENT AND NOSING OVER, THE CTLR GAVE ME A DSCNT CLRNC. BY THE TIME I REACTED AND BROUGHT THE NOSE BACK TO LEVEL AND ALSO LOWERING THE BAROMETER, THE CTLR ASKED ME ABOUT DSNDING SO FAST BEFORE HE WAS DONE GIVING ME THE CLRNC BY MY MODE C READOUT. WHEN CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN, I WOULD SAY 300 FT WAS LOST, BUT NO MORE. LOWER CLRNC WAS AUTHORIZED AT THE SAME TIME (WITHIN SECONDS) OF THE OCCURRENCE. SINGLE ENG, NIGHT, BEING TIRED WERE SMALL FACTORS POSSIBLY. REACTION TIME SLOWER, TRYING TO STAY CLR OF WX (ICE), NEW EQUIP (NOT TOTALLY COMFORTABLE WITH), EQUIP MALFUNCTIONS (PLT OVERLOAD FOR A BRIEF TIME). AT NO TIME WAS ANY SAFETY OF THE FLT COMPROMISED. HAND FLEW REST OF WAY WITH NO PROBS.
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.