Small aircraft pilot 'tunes out' tower communications. Heading deviation, altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	147327
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 2250
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pbi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	147327
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was such a dumb thing to do! Fortunately there was no danger present but I guess it had to happen sooner or later. It started when I began a left turn out after I got permission but from the wrong controller and the tower didn't appreciate that. Then I failed to limit my altitude to 1500' and started a turn to the west when I was supposed to stay on heading 160 degree. It was like I never heard the departure instructions! The controller was stern about it however, and shook me back to reality by saying, 'now listen up!' why was I in this cloudy mental state? Because I had just dined at the local restaurant buffet. I wasn't on drugs nor had I drank any of the wine offered, but that heavy lunch dulled my mind. Lesson learned. Eat lightly when flying. Heavy meals drain the blood from the brain dulling your intellect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT 'TUNES OUT' TWR COMS. HEADING DEVIATION, ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: IT WAS SUCH A DUMB THING TO DO! FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO DANGER PRESENT BUT I GUESS IT HAD TO HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER. IT STARTED WHEN I BEGAN A L TURN OUT AFTER I GOT PERMISSION BUT FROM THE WRONG CTLR AND THE TWR DIDN'T APPRECIATE THAT. THEN I FAILED TO LIMIT MY ALT TO 1500' AND STARTED A TURN TO THE W WHEN I WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY ON HDG 160 DEG. IT WAS LIKE I NEVER HEARD THE DEP INSTRUCTIONS! THE CTLR WAS STERN ABOUT IT HOWEVER, AND SHOOK ME BACK TO REALITY BY SAYING, 'NOW LISTEN UP!' WHY WAS I IN THIS CLOUDY MENTAL STATE? BECAUSE I HAD JUST DINED AT THE LCL RESTAURANT BUFFET. I WASN'T ON DRUGS NOR HAD I DRANK ANY OF THE WINE OFFERED, BUT THAT HEAVY LUNCH DULLED MY MIND. LESSON LEARNED. EAT LIGHTLY WHEN FLYING. HEAVY MEALS DRAIN THE BLOOD FROM THE BRAIN DULLING YOUR INTELLECT.

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.