C401 pilot levels off 1000 ft high on a departure in bad WX conditions near dtw, mi.

Attributes
ACN	509120
Time
Date	200104
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fdy.vortac
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ash.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 401
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	509120
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Weather Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was assigned by detroit approach to climb from 3000 ft to 7000 ft due to severe winds/turbulence of moderate nature. Was experienced throughout climb. Climb through the clouds and possibility of icing, combined with turbulence, created distraction that led me to perceive that I had leveled off at assigned 7000 ft when, in fact, I leveled off at 8000 ft. Error was one of human performance and my being distraction by checking for ice, activating de-ice equipment, and still hand flying aircraft in turbulence of moderate to occasional severe nature. I cannot identify any specifics that contributed to this error of human performance. I was well rested and had only flown approximately for 15-20 mins before this deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C401 PLT LEVELS OFF 1000 FT HIGH ON A DEP IN BAD WX CONDITIONS NEAR DTW, MI.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED BY DETROIT APCH TO CLB FROM 3000 FT TO 7000 FT DUE TO SEVERE WINDS/TURB OF MODERATE NATURE. WAS EXPERIENCED THROUGHOUT CLB. CLB THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND POSSIBILITY OF ICING, COMBINED WITH TURB, CREATED DISTR THAT LED ME TO PERCEIVE THAT I HAD LEVELED OFF AT ASSIGNED 7000 FT WHEN, IN FACT, I LEVELED OFF AT 8000 FT. ERROR WAS ONE OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND MY BEING DISTR BY CHKING FOR ICE, ACTIVATING DE-ICE EQUIP, AND STILL HAND FLYING ACFT IN TURB OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL SEVERE NATURE. I CANNOT IDENT ANY SPECIFICS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ERROR OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE. I WAS WELL RESTED AND HAD ONLY FLOWN APPROX FOR 15-20 MINS BEFORE THIS DEV.

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.