Narrative:

On an IFR corporate flight from csg to 1a5 approximately 10 mi north of the odf VOR, I was cleared to descend to 7500 MSL from 9000 MSL. During the descent the aircraft passed through 7500 MSL to approximately 7100 MSL before the descent was stopped and an immediate climb to 7500 MSL was initiated. The aircraft was reestablished in cruise flight at 7500 MSL and continued at that altitude for another 15 mi before IFR handling was cancelled and a normal VFR descent and landing was made. The controller queried us at the same time as the altitude error was recognized. I responded to the controller and advised him that we were correcting the situation. One contributing factor was the fact that for the 10 mins prior to the descent, a female passenger had been experiencing moderate physical discomfort. I allowed myself to be distracted by the other passenger's questions regarding ETA, location of sick sacks, operations of toilet, etc. I was in the process of answering some of these questions at the time of the altitude deviation. I also believe that another contributing factor was the unusual cruise altitude given on an IFR flight. In the GA, al, sc, fl area where I fly most, MEA's greater than 4000 or 5000 are unusual, I am convinced that even though I was assigned 7500 MSL, I was thinking 7000 MSL (proper IFR altitude for direction of flight). In addition to the passenger distraction, I was late leaving on this flight and had a second flight to complete later that night. I believe this was another mental distraction and I was somewhat preoccupied with trying to keep on schedule. In summary, I allowed passenger and self-induced anxiety to distract me from my primary responsibility of flying the aircraft, resulting in an inadvertent altitude deviation in rather unforgiving terrain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN, ASSIGNED UNUSUAL ALT, ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ON AN IFR CORPORATE FLT FROM CSG TO 1A5 APPROX 10 MI N OF THE ODF VOR, I WAS CLRED TO DSND TO 7500 MSL FROM 9000 MSL. DURING THE DSCNT THE ACFT PASSED THROUGH 7500 MSL TO APPROX 7100 MSL BEFORE THE DSCNT WAS STOPPED AND AN IMMEDIATE CLIMB TO 7500 MSL WAS INITIATED. THE ACFT WAS REESTABLISHED IN CRUISE FLT AT 7500 MSL AND CONTINUED AT THAT ALT FOR ANOTHER 15 MI BEFORE IFR HANDLING WAS CANCELLED AND A NORMAL VFR DSCNT AND LNDG WAS MADE. THE CTLR QUERIED US AT THE SAME TIME AS THE ALT ERROR WAS RECOGNIZED. I RESPONDED TO THE CTLR AND ADVISED HIM THAT WE WERE CORRECTING THE SITUATION. ONE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE FACT THAT FOR THE 10 MINS PRIOR TO THE DSCNT, A FEMALE PAX HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING MODERATE PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE DISTRACTED BY THE OTHER PAX'S QUESTIONS REGARDING ETA, LOCATION OF SICK SACKS, OPERATIONS OF TOILET, ETC. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ANSWERING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ALT DEVIATION. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE UNUSUAL CRUISE ALT GIVEN ON AN IFR FLT. IN THE GA, AL, SC, FL AREA WHERE I FLY MOST, MEA'S GREATER THAN 4000 OR 5000 ARE UNUSUAL, I AM CONVINCED THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS ASSIGNED 7500 MSL, I WAS THINKING 7000 MSL (PROPER IFR ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT). IN ADDITION TO THE PAX DISTR, I WAS LATE LEAVING ON THIS FLT AND HAD A SECOND FLT TO COMPLETE LATER THAT NIGHT. I BELIEVE THIS WAS ANOTHER MENTAL DISTR AND I WAS SOMEWHAT PREOCCUPIED WITH TRYING TO KEEP ON SCHEDULE. IN SUMMARY, I ALLOWED PAX AND SELF-INDUCED ANXIETY TO DISTRACT ME FROM MY PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF FLYING THE ACFT, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT ALT DEVIATION IN RATHER UNFORGIVING TERRAIN.

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.