Narrative:

I knew of the ad but did not fully understand the fact that the altitude preselect needed to be removed. I was at 14000' and picking up ice, so I asked for a higher altitude. I was given 16000'. I started the climb and went VFR on top at 14500'. Due to the ice, my LORAN flag went on so I needed to get a chart from the floor next to me and behind the seat. I turned on the altitude preselect and the rate of climb mode. I leaned over to get my charts and the aircraft made a sudden a violent pitch up (20 degrees). I sat up, pushed the nose level and noticed the elevator trim was turned to full nose up. I retrimmed the aircraft and continued the flight. I have learned that the ad was to have the altitude preselect removed, not just used or turned off. I think the FAA should have better communication with pilots and aircraft owners concerning the ad's. I recently purchased the aircraft and was not fully aware of the ad. An important ad like this should not be full of legalese and should be sent other than regular mail. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter said the ad has been, 'sorta repealed.' he explained that initially no flight in IMC was permitted and the aircraft had to be flown using pitot heat and alternate air. The ad has since been changed to permit instrument flight. When asked about flying in icing conditions, reporter vaguely answered that it was ok to fly in ice as long as you can get out of it. Reporter thinks his flight may have been illegal, but is not sure. His ad notes are not delivered to his home address causing a delay in his receipt of them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA WAS FLOWN USING EQUIPMENT THAT WAS FORBIDDEN BY A RECENT AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE.

Narrative: I KNEW OF THE AD BUT DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT THE ALT PRESELECT NEEDED TO BE REMOVED. I WAS AT 14000' AND PICKING UP ICE, SO I ASKED FOR A HIGHER ALT. I WAS GIVEN 16000'. I STARTED THE CLB AND WENT VFR ON TOP AT 14500'. DUE TO THE ICE, MY LORAN FLAG WENT ON SO I NEEDED TO GET A CHART FROM THE FLOOR NEXT TO ME AND BEHIND THE SEAT. I TURNED ON THE ALT PRESELECT AND THE RATE OF CLB MODE. I LEANED OVER TO GET MY CHARTS AND THE ACFT MADE A SUDDEN A VIOLENT PITCH UP (20 DEGS). I SAT UP, PUSHED THE NOSE LEVEL AND NOTICED THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS TURNED TO FULL NOSE UP. I RETRIMMED THE ACFT AND CONTINUED THE FLT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE AD WAS TO HAVE THE ALT PRESELECT REMOVED, NOT JUST USED OR TURNED OFF. I THINK THE FAA SHOULD HAVE BETTER COM WITH PLTS AND ACFT OWNERS CONCERNING THE AD'S. I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE ACFT AND WAS NOT FULLY AWARE OF THE AD. AN IMPORTANT AD LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT BE FULL OF LEGALESE AND SHOULD BE SENT OTHER THAN REGULAR MAIL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAID THE AD HAS BEEN, 'SORTA REPEALED.' HE EXPLAINED THAT INITIALLY NO FLT IN IMC WAS PERMITTED AND THE ACFT HAD TO BE FLOWN USING PITOT HEAT AND ALTERNATE AIR. THE AD HAS SINCE BEEN CHANGED TO PERMIT INST FLT. WHEN ASKED ABOUT FLYING IN ICING CONDITIONS, RPTR VAGUELY ANSWERED THAT IT WAS OK TO FLY IN ICE AS LONG AS YOU CAN GET OUT OF IT. RPTR THINKS HIS FLT MAY HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL, BUT IS NOT SURE. HIS AD NOTES ARE NOT DELIVERED TO HIS HOME ADDRESS CAUSING A DELAY IN HIS RECEIPT OF THEM.

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.