A PA-31T salesman, demonstrating his aircraft for a customer, overshot his assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	515920
Time
Date	200106
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rmg.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 155 flight time total : 5125 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	515920
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was a demonstration flight for prospective new owner and his ATP pilot from rmg to orl and return to rmg. I flew this aircraft as single pilot for approximately 3 yrs, but only occasionally for last yr. Off rmg, we were cleared 10000 ft, heading 200 degrees. At 8000 ft, we were cleared to 12000 ft. Set 12000 ft in altitude alert. We were climbing approximately 2500 FPM on autoplt. Other pilot (first time in cheyenne) asked question about flight director. As I was answering his question, ATC asked my altitude. I looked and was approaching 13000 ft. My answer was 'correcting to 12000 ft,' and did so. Contributing factors were the fact that the altitude alert did not beep and the fact that I was diverting attention to the other pilot's understanding the flight director when I should have been watching the altitude. Another contributing factor was I now fly a BE200B with EFIS. The system will capture the altitude selected in the alerter. Also, the cheyenne ii climbs faster than the king air. This error was discovered by ATC and I corrected back to correct altitude in a few seconds. Approximately 2 mins later, I was given FL230 and on course with no problems. It was VMC. No other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA-31T SALESMAN, DEMONSTRATING HIS ACFT FOR A CUSTOMER, OVERSHOT HIS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: THIS WAS A DEMO FLT FOR PROSPECTIVE NEW OWNER AND HIS ATP PLT FROM RMG TO ORL AND RETURN TO RMG. I FLEW THIS ACFT AS SINGLE PLT FOR APPROX 3 YRS, BUT ONLY OCCASIONALLY FOR LAST YR. OFF RMG, WE WERE CLRED 10000 FT, HDG 200 DEGS. AT 8000 FT, WE WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT. SET 12000 FT IN ALT ALERT. WE WERE CLBING APPROX 2500 FPM ON AUTOPLT. OTHER PLT (FIRST TIME IN CHEYENNE) ASKED QUESTION ABOUT FLT DIRECTOR. AS I WAS ANSWERING HIS QUESTION, ATC ASKED MY ALT. I LOOKED AND WAS APCHING 13000 FT. MY ANSWER WAS 'CORRECTING TO 12000 FT,' AND DID SO. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE FACT THAT THE ALT ALERT DID NOT BEEP AND THE FACT THAT I WAS DIVERTING ATTN TO THE OTHER PLT'S UNDERSTANDING THE FLT DIRECTOR WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE ALT. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS I NOW FLY A BE200B WITH EFIS. THE SYS WILL CAPTURE THE ALT SELECTED IN THE ALERTER. ALSO, THE CHEYENNE II CLBS FASTER THAN THE KING AIR. THIS ERROR WAS DISCOVERED BY ATC AND I CORRECTED BACK TO CORRECT ALT IN A FEW SECONDS. APPROX 2 MINS LATER, I WAS GIVEN FL230 AND ON COURSE WITH NO PROBS. IT WAS VMC. NO OTHER ACFT.

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.