Narrative:

First long x-country flight in newly purchased aircraft with 180 hp engine conversion with constant speed propeller. Returning home after wkend trip. Return trip already delayed 24 hours because of WX. Day of flight, WX forecast for marginal VFR, but last call to FSS indicated that current conditions were reported as VFR with ceilings of 3000-4500' in south PA mountains with layers to 10000'. Possible moderate rime icing in clouds. VFR conditions south of PA for rest of trip. Decided to try to get to better WX VFR. Did not want to file IFR because I wanted to stay clear of clouds because of icing forecast. After takeoff, saw a hole with blue sky above and decided to try to climb to VFR above clouds and was able to do so. Once on top, called ATC for flight following and was on a VFR flight plan. Had a great deal of trouble getting the aircraft trimmed because the propeller control kept precessing (I would set 2300 RPM and it would slowly move up to 2500 RPM). I was also preoccupied with staying clear of clouds which were 500-1000' below. Because of these problems, several times found myself 300-500' above my VFR cruising level of 10500'. I probably should have waited for WX to improve and paid more attention to altitude. I was particularly concerned about icing and let that concern override attention to basic flying tasks (maintaining altitude). The propeller control is being svced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT WITH MINOR ACFT PROBLEM FAILS TO MAINTAIN PROPER CRUISING ALT.

Narrative: FIRST LONG X-COUNTRY FLT IN NEWLY PURCHASED ACFT WITH 180 HP ENG CONVERSION WITH CONSTANT SPD PROP. RETURNING HOME AFTER WKEND TRIP. RETURN TRIP ALREADY DELAYED 24 HRS BECAUSE OF WX. DAY OF FLT, WX FORECAST FOR MARGINAL VFR, BUT LAST CALL TO FSS INDICATED THAT CURRENT CONDITIONS WERE RPTED AS VFR WITH CEILINGS OF 3000-4500' IN S PA MOUNTAINS WITH LAYERS TO 10000'. POSSIBLE MODERATE RIME ICING IN CLOUDS. VFR CONDITIONS S OF PA FOR REST OF TRIP. DECIDED TO TRY TO GET TO BETTER WX VFR. DID NOT WANT TO FILE IFR BECAUSE I WANTED TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS BECAUSE OF ICING FORECAST. AFTER TKOF, SAW A HOLE WITH BLUE SKY ABOVE AND DECIDED TO TRY TO CLB TO VFR ABOVE CLOUDS AND WAS ABLE TO DO SO. ONCE ON TOP, CALLED ATC FOR FLT FOLLOWING AND WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN. HAD A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE GETTING THE ACFT TRIMMED BECAUSE THE PROP CTL KEPT PRECESSING (I WOULD SET 2300 RPM AND IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE UP TO 2500 RPM). I WAS ALSO PREOCCUPIED WITH STAYING CLR OF CLOUDS WHICH WERE 500-1000' BELOW. BECAUSE OF THESE PROBS, SEVERAL TIMES FOUND MYSELF 300-500' ABOVE MY VFR CRUISING LEVEL OF 10500'. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR WX TO IMPROVE AND PAID MORE ATTN TO ALT. I WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT ICING AND LET THAT CONCERN OVERRIDE ATTN TO BASIC FLYING TASKS (MAINTAINING ALT). THE PROP CTL IS BEING SVCED.

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.