BE58 pilot fails to meet altitude restr on teb SID from teb.

Attributes
ACN	717479
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : teb 5
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1830 flight time type : 738
ASRS Report	717479
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was cleared to depart teb airport via the teb 5 departure. This departure procedure calls for maintaining an altitude of 1500 ft MSL until 4.5 miles from the airport; then climb to 2000 ft MSL. Prior to taking the runway; I carefully reviewed the departure procedure with my daughter (a student pilot) and set the altitude selector on the autoplt to 1500 ft. After rotation and gear-up (passing through 500 ft MSL) I activated the autoplt and set my vertical speed to a climb rate of 1000 ft per min; but I failed to 'arm' the autoplt so it would 'capture' the altitude and level off at 1500 ft MSL. Approaching 1400 ft MSL; I confirmed the autoplt setting of 1500 ft and then focused on my turn to the next heading. At 1700 ft MSL the altitude alert sounded and I realized the autoplt had failed to capture the programmed altitude; so I checked the DME to determine if I had flown 4.5 miles from the airport and was permitted to climb to 2000 ft MSL. I was only 3.3 miles from the airport. I disconnected the autoplt and pushed the yoke forward to begin the descent back to 1500 ft MSL. At that moment the departure controller radioed asking if I was at 2000 ft MSL. I replied yes. I had already begun a descent back to 1500 ft. The remainder of the flight was without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE58 PLT FAILS TO MEET ALT RESTR ON TEB SID FROM TEB.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO DEPART TEB ARPT VIA THE TEB 5 DEP. THIS DEP PROC CALLS FOR MAINTAINING AN ALT OF 1500 FT MSL UNTIL 4.5 MILES FROM THE ARPT; THEN CLB TO 2000 FT MSL. PRIOR TO TAKING THE RWY; I CAREFULLY REVIEWED THE DEP PROC WITH MY DAUGHTER (A STUDENT PLT) AND SET THE ALT SELECTOR ON THE AUTOPLT TO 1500 FT. AFTER ROTATION AND GEAR-UP (PASSING THROUGH 500 FT MSL) I ACTIVATED THE AUTOPLT AND SET MY VERTICAL SPEED TO A CLB RATE OF 1000 FT PER MIN; BUT I FAILED TO 'ARM' THE AUTOPLT SO IT WOULD 'CAPTURE' THE ALT AND LEVEL OFF AT 1500 FT MSL. APCHING 1400 FT MSL; I CONFIRMED THE AUTOPLT SETTING OF 1500 FT AND THEN FOCUSED ON MY TURN TO THE NEXT HEADING. AT 1700 FT MSL THE ALT ALERT SOUNDED AND I REALIZED THE AUTOPLT HAD FAILED TO CAPTURE THE PROGRAMMED ALT; SO I CHKED THE DME TO DETERMINE IF I HAD FLOWN 4.5 MILES FROM THE ARPT AND WAS PERMITTED TO CLB TO 2000 FT MSL. I WAS ONLY 3.3 MILES FROM THE ARPT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD TO BEGIN THE DESCENT BACK TO 1500 FT MSL. AT THAT MOMENT THE DEP CTLR RADIOED ASKING IF I WAS AT 2000 FT MSL. I REPLIED YES. I HAD ALREADY BEGUN A DESCENT BACK TO 1500 FT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.