Piper cherokee pilot has an altitude and heading deviation en route to hwo.

Attributes
ACN	721683
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hwo.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hwo.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Piper Single Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	721683
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was using flight following for the previous 200 NM. Mia approach cleared me direct to the hwo airport from about 10 NM out. I spotted an area of cleared off land; that from my perspective; I thought was the hwo airport; but in fact was just open space about 3 mi nnw of the real airport. I was concentrating on staying below the class C airspace from fll airport; which bottomed at 1200 ft in the area; and the group B airspace for mia; which never became a factor. While maintaining 1000 ft MSL and AGL; I realized that the hwo airport was several mi off to my right. While correcting course to the airport; and being distraction by a passenger asking me questions about some things on the surface; the altitude of the airplane dropped to around 850 ft MSL. I quickly corrected the altitude back to 1000 ft and we arrived safely at hwo airport about 2 mins later.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER CHEROKEE PLT HAS AN ALT AND HDG DEV ENRTE TO HWO.

Narrative: I WAS USING FLT FOLLOWING FOR THE PREVIOUS 200 NM. MIA APCH CLRED ME DIRECT TO THE HWO ARPT FROM ABOUT 10 NM OUT. I SPOTTED AN AREA OF CLRED OFF LAND; THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE; I THOUGHT WAS THE HWO ARPT; BUT IN FACT WAS JUST OPEN SPACE ABOUT 3 MI NNW OF THE REAL ARPT. I WAS CONCENTRATING ON STAYING BELOW THE CLASS C AIRSPACE FROM FLL ARPT; WHICH BOTTOMED AT 1200 FT IN THE AREA; AND THE GROUP B AIRSPACE FOR MIA; WHICH NEVER BECAME A FACTOR. WHILE MAINTAINING 1000 FT MSL AND AGL; I REALIZED THAT THE HWO ARPT WAS SEVERAL MI OFF TO MY R. WHILE CORRECTING COURSE TO THE ARPT; AND BEING DISTR BY A PAX ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME THINGS ON THE SURFACE; THE ALT OF THE AIRPLANE DROPPED TO AROUND 850 FT MSL. I QUICKLY CORRECTED THE ALT BACK TO 1000 FT AND WE ARRIVED SAFELY AT HWO ARPT ABOUT 2 MINS LATER.

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.