A single plted C421C admitted that he overshot his altitude in ZHU's airspace due to distrs.

Attributes
ACN	618961
Time
Date	200405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : erv.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 12920 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	618961
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After receiving my IFR clearance by radio from ZHU, I took off on my first flight in a C421C. I had previously had a 2-HR chkout in a very different C421B. I was cleared to 5000 ft, but was unfamiliar with many of the system on this particular airplane. I allowed myself to become distraction in trying to manage these unfamiliar system, and busted my altitude. I was above the clouds in VMC conditions with excellent visibility. I did not follow my primary duty of flying the airplane first. I had filed for 16000 ft and expected clearance to it. I heard only parts of some radio xmissions, possibly because I mismanaged the radios.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SINGLE PLTED C421C ADMITTED THAT HE OVERSHOT HIS ALT IN ZHU'S AIRSPACE DUE TO DISTRS.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING MY IFR CLRNC BY RADIO FROM ZHU, I TOOK OFF ON MY FIRST FLT IN A C421C. I HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A 2-HR CHKOUT IN A VERY DIFFERENT C421B. I WAS CLRED TO 5000 FT, BUT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH MANY OF THE SYS ON THIS PARTICULAR AIRPLANE. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTR IN TRYING TO MANAGE THESE UNFAMILIAR SYS, AND BUSTED MY ALT. I WAS ABOVE THE CLOUDS IN VMC CONDITIONS WITH EXCELLENT VISIBILITY. I DID NOT FOLLOW MY PRIMARY DUTY OF FLYING THE AIRPLANE FIRST. I HAD FILED FOR 16000 FT AND EXPECTED CLRNC TO IT. I HEARD ONLY PARTS OF SOME RADIO XMISSIONS, POSSIBLY BECAUSE I MISMANAGED THE RADIOS.

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.