A bonanza A36 failed to capture an ATC assigned altitude and overshot by 500 ft before being notifie...

Attributes
ACN	685172
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mqy.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 2046 flight time type : 837
ASRS Report	685172
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departure from mqy; I was cleared by approach control to 7000 ft. The WX was clear and visibility greater than 10 SM. I programmed the autoplt to capture 7000 ft. I reached this altitude well clear of bna class C airspace; but not yet clear of bna arrival traffic. I was busy scanning for traffic and failed to notice that the autoplt did not capture at 7000 ft until I had reached 7500 ft. At that same time approach control advised me of my altitude. There was no traffic conflict; but I was well above my assigned altitude. The best I can determine is that I failed to program the autoplt correctly. It is my normal procedure to program the autoplt this way and; except for this time; I closely monitor the climb and capture. There is no indication of any problem with the autoplt. My main error in this instance was not maintaining a constant scan of the flight instruments along with watching for possible traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BONANZA A36 FAILED TO CAPTURE AN ATC ASSIGNED ALT AND OVERSHOT BY 500 FT BEFORE BEING NOTIFIED OF THE ERROR.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM MQY; I WAS CLRED BY APCH CTL TO 7000 FT. THE WX WAS CLR AND VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 10 SM. I PROGRAMMED THE AUTOPLT TO CAPTURE 7000 FT. I REACHED THIS ALT WELL CLR OF BNA CLASS C AIRSPACE; BUT NOT YET CLR OF BNA ARR TFC. I WAS BUSY SCANNING FOR TFC AND FAILED TO NOTICE THAT THE AUTOPLT DID NOT CAPTURE AT 7000 FT UNTIL I HAD REACHED 7500 FT. AT THAT SAME TIME APCH CTL ADVISED ME OF MY ALT. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT; BUT I WAS WELL ABOVE MY ASSIGNED ALT. THE BEST I CAN DETERMINE IS THAT I FAILED TO PROGRAM THE AUTOPLT CORRECTLY. IT IS MY NORMAL PROC TO PROGRAM THE AUTOPLT THIS WAY AND; EXCEPT FOR THIS TIME; I CLOSELY MONITOR THE CLB AND CAPTURE. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROB WITH THE AUTOPLT. MY MAIN ERROR IN THIS INSTANCE WAS NOT MAINTAINING A CONSTANT SCAN OF THE FLT INSTS ALONG WITH WATCHING FOR POSSIBLE TFC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A bonanza A36 failed to capture an ATC assigned altitude and overshot by 500 ft before being notified of the error.