Narrative:

My friend needed to travel to atw from cps for business in his single yolk small aircraft twin. The WX was IFR at departure point with VFR conditions beyond 40 mi of departure point. My friend normally flies himself but was not instrument rated though working on the rating. I offered to go along, fly until we reached VFR and then he would complete the trip. When it came time for takeoff I decided if he thought he was up to it, he could use the 3-4 mi of IMC time. So he took the plane from takeoff though I was PIC under my filed IFR flight plan. My friend did a good job but became uneasy once in IMC. In the process on returning the yolk to my side I neglected the altimeter and we ended up 500 ft above our assigned altitude (2600 ft vs 2100 ft). The controller questioned us, we responded we were heading back to 2100 ft. Although this flight was not 'instructional' in intent, I understand now why instruction in a twin with a single yolk is prohibited. Although control of the aircraft was never in jeopardy, the distrs of his uneasiness and the swapping of the yolk were just enough to divert my attention from some important things like leveling at the assigned altitude. Next time we'll stick to the original plan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT OVERSHOT DURING IMC CLB.

Narrative: MY FRIEND NEEDED TO TRAVEL TO ATW FROM CPS FOR BUSINESS IN HIS SINGLE YOLK SMA TWIN. THE WX WAS IFR AT DEP POINT WITH VFR CONDITIONS BEYOND 40 MI OF DEP POINT. MY FRIEND NORMALLY FLIES HIMSELF BUT WAS NOT INST RATED THOUGH WORKING ON THE RATING. I OFFERED TO GO ALONG, FLY UNTIL WE REACHED VFR AND THEN HE WOULD COMPLETE THE TRIP. WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR TKOF I DECIDED IF HE THOUGHT HE WAS UP TO IT, HE COULD USE THE 3-4 MI OF IMC TIME. SO HE TOOK THE PLANE FROM TKOF THOUGH I WAS PIC UNDER MY FILED IFR FLT PLAN. MY FRIEND DID A GOOD JOB BUT BECAME UNEASY ONCE IN IMC. IN THE PROCESS ON RETURNING THE YOLK TO MY SIDE I NEGLECTED THE ALTIMETER AND WE ENDED UP 500 FT ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED ALT (2600 FT VS 2100 FT). THE CTLR QUESTIONED US, WE RESPONDED WE WERE HDG BACK TO 2100 FT. ALTHOUGH THIS FLT WAS NOT 'INSTRUCTIONAL' IN INTENT, I UNDERSTAND NOW WHY INSTRUCTION IN A TWIN WITH A SINGLE YOLK IS PROHIBITED. ALTHOUGH CTL OF THE ACFT WAS NEVER IN JEOPARDY, THE DISTRS OF HIS UNEASINESS AND THE SWAPPING OF THE YOLK WERE JUST ENOUGH TO DIVERT MY ATTN FROM SOME IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE LEVELING AT THE ASSIGNED ALT. NEXT TIME WE'LL STICK TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN.

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.