Altitude and heading deviation. Passenger distraction.

Attributes
ACN	104939
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 8300 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	104939
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departure clearance to 4000', leveled off at 3000' for about 3 minutes, distrs from passenger. Was on top of cloud deck. Departure gave heading change I never heard nor responded to. After a period that seemed too long on that heading, I called ATC to insure they wanted me on 070 degree heading, he said no, that he'd given a turn to 150 degree heading then added to climb to 5000'. At that time I noticed I was only at 3000', climbed to 5000' immediately. No mention was made of altitude being at 3000'., nor one of any conflict, which is not surprising since arrs were coming in from the south, departure to the north. When my passenger started to interrupt I should have turned on the autoplt and altitude select on, and certainly even more so told them to shut up! Though only at 3000' for a short period of time, leveling off at anything but 4000' was less than desirable. To allow such a thing to occur!!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT AND HEADING DEVIATION. PASSENGER DISTRACTION.

Narrative: DEP CLRNC TO 4000', LEVELED OFF AT 3000' FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES, DISTRS FROM PAX. WAS ON TOP OF CLOUD DECK. DEP GAVE HDG CHANGE I NEVER HEARD NOR RESPONDED TO. AFTER A PERIOD THAT SEEMED TOO LONG ON THAT HDG, I CALLED ATC TO INSURE THEY WANTED ME ON 070 DEG HDG, HE SAID NO, THAT HE'D GIVEN A TURN TO 150 DEG HDG THEN ADDED TO CLB TO 5000'. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED I WAS ONLY AT 3000', CLBED TO 5000' IMMEDIATELY. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ALT BEING AT 3000'., NOR ONE OF ANY CONFLICT, WHICH IS NOT SURPRISING SINCE ARRS WERE COMING IN FROM THE S, DEP TO THE N. WHEN MY PAX STARTED TO INTERRUPT I SHOULD HAVE TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT AND ALT SELECT ON, AND CERTAINLY EVEN MORE SO TOLD THEM TO SHUT UP! THOUGH ONLY AT 3000' FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, LEVELING OFF AT ANYTHING BUT 4000' WAS LESS THAN DESIRABLE. TO ALLOW SUCH A THING TO OCCUR!!

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.