GA small aircraft altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude.

Attributes
ACN	142220
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : bdl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 301 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	142220
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Bdl approach noticed I had left my assigned altitude by 500'. They requested an immediate descent which I responded to fast. The rise was primarily due to being in a layer of widely scattered but quite turbulence cumulus clouds. I had constant strong updrafts to contend with, as well as IMC at times, but I was denied a request for a different altitude. I understand I was a threat to a commercial jet approaching the gardner VOR. I am very sorry about this breach. At the time I was also trying to find haarp intersection. I had just been drastically rerted. Haarp turned out to be beyond the carmel VOR, which I was to cross over and return to to make the approach to danbury. I still do not understand this route. I was a newly rated INS pilot. I realize I should not have tackled such a busy route. I had studied the map extensively ahead of time to prepare for a rerouting. A friend with me is a fine VFR pilot, but could not help me read left charts or fly in IMC. I was ready to ask to go VFR, but bdl told me they would give me radar vectors. They told me to use the westfield VOR, which went OTS soon after. I know, as a newly rated INS pilot, I was wrong to go to such a busy area. I will certainly practice in VFR in more rural areas and fly with a friend who is a much more experienced INS pilot for a long time before tackling what I did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: BDL APCH NOTICED I HAD LEFT MY ASSIGNED ALT BY 500'. THEY REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSNT WHICH I RESPONDED TO FAST. THE RISE WAS PRIMARILY DUE TO BEING IN A LAYER OF WIDELY SCATTERED BUT QUITE TURB CUMULUS CLOUDS. I HAD CONSTANT STRONG UPDRAFTS TO CONTEND WITH, AS WELL AS IMC AT TIMES, BUT I WAS DENIED A REQUEST FOR A DIFFERENT ALT. I UNDERSTAND I WAS A THREAT TO A COMMERCIAL JET APCHING THE GARDNER VOR. I AM VERY SORRY ABOUT THIS BREACH. AT THE TIME I WAS ALSO TRYING TO FIND HAARP INTXN. I HAD JUST BEEN DRASTICALLY RERTED. HAARP TURNED OUT TO BE BEYOND THE CARMEL VOR, WHICH I WAS TO CROSS OVER AND RETURN TO TO MAKE THE APCH TO DANBURY. I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS RTE. I WAS A NEWLY RATED INS PLT. I REALIZE I SHOULD NOT HAVE TACKLED SUCH A BUSY RTE. I HAD STUDIED THE MAP EXTENSIVELY AHEAD OF TIME TO PREPARE FOR A REROUTING. A FRIEND WITH ME IS A FINE VFR PLT, BUT COULD NOT HELP ME READ L CHARTS OR FLY IN IMC. I WAS READY TO ASK TO GO VFR, BUT BDL TOLD ME THEY WOULD GIVE ME RADAR VECTORS. THEY TOLD ME TO USE THE WESTFIELD VOR, WHICH WENT OTS SOON AFTER. I KNOW, AS A NEWLY RATED INS PLT, I WAS WRONG TO GO TO SUCH A BUSY AREA. I WILL CERTAINLY PRACTICE IN VFR IN MORE RURAL AREAS AND FLY WITH A FRIEND WHO IS A MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED INS PLT FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE TACKLING WHAT I DID.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.