<< >> NASA ASRS Report 888245, May 2010

An IFR V35 pilot and pilot qualified passenger reported an IMC altitude deviation which resulted in an near midair collision. Turbulence; heat; incomplete ATC traffic information and a malfunctioning autopilot contributed to the pilot's error.

Attributes
ACN	888245
Time
Date	201005
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.TRACON
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	Climb Cruise
Component
Aircraft Component	Autopilot
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20 Flight Crew Total 1300 Flight Crew Type 20
Person 2
Function	Other / Unknown
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 5 Flight Crew Total 575 Flight Crew Type 35
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Conflict NMAC Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Miss Distance	Vertical 200

Narrative:

Filed VFR flight plan; shortly after takeoff I requested approach to change my flight plan from VFR to IFR and climb to 6000 ATC granted 5000 ft. I climbed in IFR conditions from 2000 to 5000. ATC advised prior to climb that they would have 6000 for me shortly. I was flying at 5000 IFR just below VFR. I was directed to change frequencies and contacted the next controller who asked what altitude I needed. I told him 6000 he said wait I have traffic heading same direction at 6000. Shortly after that he told me to resume my own navigation. I asked if I could climb to 6000 he said yes then said no I have traffic at 6000. I was then at 5500 and began descending. My garmin gtx 330 showed I had come within 200 feet vertical of another aircraft. All of this occurred in a very short time while I fighting turbulence and an autopilot which I later learned was malfunctioning. Radio traffic was heavy and rapid.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An IFR V35 pilot and pilot qualified passenger reported an IMC altitude deviation which resulted in an NMAC. Turbulence; heat; incomplete ATC traffic information and a malfunctioning autopilot contributed to the pilot's error.

Narrative: Filed VFR Flight plan; shortly after takeoff I requested Approach to change my flight plan from VFR to IFR and climb to 6000 ATC granted 5000 FT. I climbed in IFR conditions from 2000 to 5000. ATC advised prior to climb that they would have 6000 for me shortly. I was flying at 5000 IFR just below VFR. I was directed to change frequencies and contacted the next Controller who asked what altitude I needed. I told him 6000 he said wait I have traffic heading same direction at 6000. Shortly after that he told me to resume my own navigation. I asked if I could climb to 6000 he said yes then said no I have traffic at 6000. I was then at 5500 and began descending. My Garmin GTX 330 showed I had come within 200 feet vertical of another aircraft. All of this occurred in a very short time while I fighting turbulence and an autopilot which I later learned was malfunctioning. Radio traffic was heavy and rapid.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.