Narrative:

We took off at approximately XA15 on a routine radio instruments training flight. The flight was to proceed from NAS npa to gpt for a practice approach, then return to npa. The first half of the flight proceeded as briefed. On missed approach out of gpt we went temporarily NORDO. Assuming it to be the students UHF control box in the rear cockpit, I took control of the radios in the front cockpit and regained communication with approach. We switched up ZHU and were cleared 'climb and maintain 10000', cleared direct sji.' we requested and were cleared direct npa. That was the last I heard on the radio. Not hearing anything on the radio I assumed we were NORDO again and unsuccessfully attempted to regain communication with ZHU. I then tried all other applicable frequencys for ZHU and gpt approach with no luck. While I was attempting to regain communications, the student (who was in control of the aircraft) attempted to level off at 10K and ballooned approximately 400' high. Being otherwise occupied I failed to notice the altitude deviation. When all frequencys had been exhausted I took control of the aircraft, had the student pop the instrument hood and began squawking 7700/7600. I descended to a VFR cruising altitude (9500) and proceeded direct npa for a course rules entry to the break at npa. Upon landing there was a note for me to contact ZHU. ZHU informed me I came within 600' of another aircraft and a deviation report was being filed. I never saw another aircraft but was understandable preoccupied attempting to regain communications. This report is being filed late because at the time I had no such knowledge of a report of this kind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFLICT CAUSED BY ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF AT APPROX XA15 ON A ROUTINE RADIO INSTRUMENTS TRNING FLT. THE FLT WAS TO PROCEED FROM NAS NPA TO GPT FOR A PRACTICE APCH, THEN RETURN TO NPA. THE FIRST HALF OF THE FLT PROCEEDED AS BRIEFED. ON MISSED APCH OUT OF GPT WE WENT TEMPORARILY NORDO. ASSUMING IT TO BE THE STUDENTS UHF CTL BOX IN THE REAR COCKPIT, I TOOK CONTROL OF THE RADIOS IN THE FRONT COCKPIT AND REGAINED COM WITH APCH. WE SWITCHED UP ZHU AND WERE CLRED 'CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000', CLRED DIRECT SJI.' WE REQUESTED AND WERE CLRED DIRECT NPA. THAT WAS THE LAST I HEARD ON THE RADIO. NOT HEARING ANYTHING ON THE RADIO I ASSUMED WE WERE NORDO AGAIN AND UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN COM WITH ZHU. I THEN TRIED ALL OTHER APPLICABLE FREQS FOR ZHU AND GPT APCH WITH NO LUCK. WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN COMS, THE STUDENT (WHO WAS IN CONTROL OF THE ACFT) ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL OFF AT 10K AND BALLOONED APPROX 400' HIGH. BEING OTHERWISE OCCUPIED I FAILED TO NOTICE THE ALT DEVIATION. WHEN ALL FREQS HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED I TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT, HAD THE STUDENT POP THE INSTRUMENT HOOD AND BEGAN SQUAWKING 7700/7600. I DSNDED TO A VFR CRUISING ALT (9500) AND PROCEEDED DIRECT NPA FOR A COURSE RULES ENTRY TO THE BREAK AT NPA. UPON LNDG THERE WAS A NOTE FOR ME TO CONTACT ZHU. ZHU INFORMED ME I CAME WITHIN 600' OF ANOTHER ACFT AND A DEVIATION RPT WAS BEING FILED. I NEVER SAW ANOTHER ACFT BUT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE PREOCCUPIED ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN COMS. THIS RPT IS BEING FILED LATE BECAUSE AT THE TIME I HAD NO SUCH KNOWLEDGE OF A RPT OF THIS KIND.

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.