A C421 pilot programming a garmin 530 during his FAA chkride overshot his assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	686537
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hky.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 4300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4990 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	686537
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was an FAA chkride for my part 135 single aircraft; single pilot charter business. We were executing a missed approach from hky and were instructed by center to climb to 4000 ft and proceed direct to bzm and hold. I was programming the garmin 530 GPS and starting to set the altitude into my autoplt (stec 55X) when my examiner asked me what altitude I was climbing to. I was at 4200 ft. Before I could correct; we hit 4300 ft. I immediately descended to 4000 ft. ATC said nothing but it didn't matter because I had the FAA on board my airplane! For 25 years I more or less hand flew my airplanes. In the last year I've flying an airplane with much better equipment and have slowly begun to use it more. This was a classic 'heads down when they should have been up' situation. Plus; my examiner is very distracting (on purpose) constantly peppering me with questions while I'm flying complicated procedures. In the future; I'm going to 'aviate; navigate; and communicate' in that order. I will not become obsessed with the black boxes. I'm going to fly the airplane versus letting the black boxes fly it. I'll use them to help; once I've first got the airplane doing what it's supposed to do manually.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C421 PLT PROGRAMMING A GARMIN 530 DURING HIS FAA CHKRIDE OVERSHOT HIS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN FAA CHKRIDE FOR MY PART 135 SINGLE ACFT; SINGLE PLT CHARTER BUSINESS. WE WERE EXECUTING A MISSED APCH FROM HKY AND WERE INSTRUCTED BY CTR TO CLB TO 4000 FT AND PROCEED DIRECT TO BZM AND HOLD. I WAS PROGRAMMING THE GARMIN 530 GPS AND STARTING TO SET THE ALT INTO MY AUTOPLT (STEC 55X) WHEN MY EXAMINER ASKED ME WHAT ALT I WAS CLBING TO. I WAS AT 4200 FT. BEFORE I COULD CORRECT; WE HIT 4300 FT. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 4000 FT. ATC SAID NOTHING BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE I HAD THE FAA ON BOARD MY AIRPLANE! FOR 25 YEARS I MORE OR LESS HAND FLEW MY AIRPLANES. IN THE LAST YEAR I'VE FLYING AN AIRPLANE WITH MUCH BETTER EQUIP AND HAVE SLOWLY BEGUN TO USE IT MORE. THIS WAS A CLASSIC 'HEADS DOWN WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN UP' SITUATION. PLUS; MY EXAMINER IS VERY DISTRACTING (ON PURPOSE) CONSTANTLY PEPPERING ME WITH QUESTIONS WHILE I'M FLYING COMPLICATED PROCS. IN THE FUTURE; I'M GOING TO 'AVIATE; NAVIGATE; AND COMMUNICATE' IN THAT ORDER. I WILL NOT BECOME OBSESSED WITH THE BLACK BOXES. I'M GOING TO FLY THE AIRPLANE VERSUS LETTING THE BLACK BOXES FLY IT. I'LL USE THEM TO HELP; ONCE I'VE FIRST GOT THE AIRPLANE DOING WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO MANUALLY.

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.