Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan when autoplt stopped working. To stay visual; I requested a clearance to 8000 ft and later to 10000 ft. I was flying around/between 2 areas of thunderstorm activity; using a WX 1000 stormscope + xm nexrad radar; but I wanted to stay visual on top to see cell development. I requested and was cleared from ZZZ direct FOD; direct frm. About 10 mins later; I developed a fuel flow issue; low fuel flow; and after troubleshooting; realized I could maintain level flight; but could not climb. I made a decision to reverse course to return to an area where I could make a visual descent and proceed to an avionics and maintenance facility. I chose to divert to ZZZ1 where I had been based the last 10 yrs and had a mechanic and radio shop. I was cleared to reverse course and maintain 10000 ft ZZZ. The controller could not understand that I didn't want to land at ZZZ but wanted to fly south until I was clear of the undercast. About this time the controller said she had lost my transponder; so I was now troubleshooting 3 problems at one time! Also about this time she informed me that ATC was declaring an emergency on my behalf. I immediately protested that I did not have an emergency; did not want emergency status; etc. I spoke with a supervisor and conveyed the same message to him; and fully disclosed my reasoning and plans regarding proceeding visually to a lower altitude; then to ZZZ1. I received WX; which reasonably assured ZZZ1 would be visual. The controller reported receiving my transponder again; so one problem solved! When the tops lowered; I requested 5000 ft and she cleared me to 8000 ft which I acknowledged. I was south of ZZZ2 and she continued to want me to land at ZZZ in spite of my conversations with the supervisor. I began descending while continuing to troubleshoot my remaining 2 problems. The next call was the controller asking my altitude which I observed and reported as 6800 ft. I was reminded my clearance was to 8000 ft; and cleared back to 7000 ft which I climbed to and held until later cleared to descend to 4000 ft; which I did. I then asked for and received a clearance direct ZZZ1; where I made an uneventful landing and called center as requested to report safely on the ground. In thinking about the situation; I probably should have considered further before flying IFR in an area of strong storms; as I prefer to have a working autoplt to share the workload when single pilot IFR. I believe I was in work overload; which contributed to my misunderstanding the clearance to 8000 ft; when I had requested 5000 ft. The misunderstandings with the controller; and issues about declaring an emergency; diverted some of my attention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT HAS ALT DEV WHILE DIVERTING ATTENTION TO MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. EMERGENCY IS DECLARED FOR THIS PLT BY ATC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WHEN AUTOPLT STOPPED WORKING. TO STAY VISUAL; I REQUESTED A CLRNC TO 8000 FT AND LATER TO 10000 FT. I WAS FLYING AROUND/BTWN 2 AREAS OF TSTM ACTIVITY; USING A WX 1000 STORMSCOPE + XM NEXRAD RADAR; BUT I WANTED TO STAY VISUAL ON TOP TO SEE CELL DEVELOPMENT. I REQUESTED AND WAS CLRED FROM ZZZ DIRECT FOD; DIRECT FRM. ABOUT 10 MINS LATER; I DEVELOPED A FUEL FLOW ISSUE; LOW FUEL FLOW; AND AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING; REALIZED I COULD MAINTAIN LEVEL FLT; BUT COULD NOT CLB. I MADE A DECISION TO REVERSE COURSE TO RETURN TO AN AREA WHERE I COULD MAKE A VISUAL DSCNT AND PROCEED TO AN AVIONICS AND MAINT FACILITY. I CHOSE TO DIVERT TO ZZZ1 WHERE I HAD BEEN BASED THE LAST 10 YRS AND HAD A MECH AND RADIO SHOP. I WAS CLRED TO REVERSE COURSE AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT ZZZ. THE CTLR COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO LAND AT ZZZ BUT WANTED TO FLY S UNTIL I WAS CLR OF THE UNDERCAST. ABOUT THIS TIME THE CTLR SAID SHE HAD LOST MY XPONDER; SO I WAS NOW TROUBLESHOOTING 3 PROBS AT ONE TIME! ALSO ABOUT THIS TIME SHE INFORMED ME THAT ATC WAS DECLARING AN EMER ON MY BEHALF. I IMMEDIATELY PROTESTED THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN EMER; DID NOT WANT EMER STATUS; ETC. I SPOKE WITH A SUPVR AND CONVEYED THE SAME MESSAGE TO HIM; AND FULLY DISCLOSED MY REASONING AND PLANS REGARDING PROCEEDING VISUALLY TO A LOWER ALT; THEN TO ZZZ1. I RECEIVED WX; WHICH REASONABLY ASSURED ZZZ1 WOULD BE VISUAL. THE CTLR RPTED RECEIVING MY XPONDER AGAIN; SO ONE PROB SOLVED! WHEN THE TOPS LOWERED; I REQUESTED 5000 FT AND SHE CLRED ME TO 8000 FT WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED. I WAS S OF ZZZ2 AND SHE CONTINUED TO WANT ME TO LAND AT ZZZ IN SPITE OF MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SUPVR. I BEGAN DSNDING WHILE CONTINUING TO TROUBLESHOOT MY REMAINING 2 PROBS. THE NEXT CALL WAS THE CTLR ASKING MY ALT WHICH I OBSERVED AND RPTED AS 6800 FT. I WAS REMINDED MY CLRNC WAS TO 8000 FT; AND CLRED BACK TO 7000 FT WHICH I CLBED TO AND HELD UNTIL LATER CLRED TO DSND TO 4000 FT; WHICH I DID. I THEN ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC DIRECT ZZZ1; WHERE I MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND CALLED CENTER AS REQUESTED TO RPT SAFELY ON THE GND. IN THINKING ABOUT THE SITUATION; I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED FURTHER BEFORE FLYING IFR IN AN AREA OF STRONG STORMS; AS I PREFER TO HAVE A WORKING AUTOPLT TO SHARE THE WORKLOAD WHEN SINGLE PLT IFR. I BELIEVE I WAS IN WORK OVERLOAD; WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO MY MISUNDERSTANDING THE CLRNC TO 8000 FT; WHEN I HAD REQUESTED 5000 FT. THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS WITH THE CTLR; AND ISSUES ABOUT DECLARING AN EMER; DIVERTED SOME OF MY ATTN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.