Narrative:

During an IFR clearance climb to 17000' in VFR conditions, I forgot to cancel IFR and continued climbing to 17500'. The controller questioned my assigned altitude. He advised I was showing 17600'. Subsequently, I cancelled IFR. At local on ZNY frequency 134.8 encoder shows 17700' altimeter, 17500', altitude setting 29.86. My attention was distracted by build ups 75-100 mi ahead which I mentally planned to circumnav VFR. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states intention to go VFR to circumnav was because of 50 mi visibility and desire to avoid being vectored into WX by ATC. Thinking VFR before cancelled IFR. Had to reinstate IFR flight plan later on as build ups were more extensive than they appeared to be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION, VFR ALT ON IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: DURING AN IFR CLRNC CLB TO 17000' IN VFR CONDITIONS, I FORGOT TO CANCEL IFR AND CONTINUED CLBING TO 17500'. THE CTLR QUESTIONED MY ASSIGNED ALT. HE ADVISED I WAS SHOWING 17600'. SUBSEQUENTLY, I CANCELLED IFR. AT LCL ON ZNY FREQ 134.8 ENCODER SHOWS 17700' ALTIMETER, 17500', ALT SETTING 29.86. MY ATTN WAS DISTRACTED BY BUILD UPS 75-100 MI AHEAD WHICH I MENTALLY PLANNED TO CIRCUMNAV VFR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES INTENTION TO GO VFR TO CIRCUMNAV WAS BECAUSE OF 50 MI VIS AND DESIRE TO AVOID BEING VECTORED INTO WX BY ATC. THINKING VFR BEFORE CANCELLED IFR. HAD TO REINSTATE IFR FLT PLAN LATER ON AS BUILD UPS WERE MORE EXTENSIVE THAN THEY APPEARED TO BE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.