PA46 pilot reports an altitude deviation due to autopilot disengagement while occupied with a new ef...

Attributes
ACN	976110
Time
Date	201110
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	I90.TRACON
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-46 Malibu/Malibu Mirage/Malibu Matrix
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Component
Aircraft Component	Altitude Hold/Capture
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Total 2000 Flight Crew Type 1500
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

Autopilot disengaged (reason unknown). Aircraft lost 300 ft (possibly 400 ft) before recovery commenced; altitude regained within 20 seconds. Discovered by pilot and ATC simultaneously. Contributing factor - third flight with new efb may have slowed reaction time to deviation. After regaining altitude and resetting autopilot; it performed normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA46 pilot reports an altitude deviation due to autopilot disengagement while occupied with a new EFB.

Narrative: Autopilot disengaged (reason unknown). Aircraft lost 300 FT (possibly 400 FT) before recovery commenced; altitude regained within 20 seconds. Discovered by pilot and ATC simultaneously. Contributing factor - third flight with new EFB may have slowed reaction time to deviation. After regaining altitude and resetting autopilot; it performed normally.

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.

PA46 pilot reports an altitude deviation due to autopilot disengagement while occupied with a new efb.