<< >> NASA ASRS Report 235102, February 1993

An small aircraft pilot had trouble maintaining heading, altitude, and airspeed control while on an instrument flight plan in VMC.

Attributes
ACN	235102
Time
Date	199302
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gsp
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tracon : gsp tower : gmu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 2115 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	235102
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

IFR flight from gmu to pdk and return. Flight conducted in the clear under a high cloud base. Prior to takeoff, I set gmu altimeter 1 inch wrong so I was late making a turn called by greer departure. Corrected altimeter after greer departure told me a second time to make the turn. En route to pdk, center called me twice for being off cruising altitude, once I was 300 ft low, later I was 400 ft high. Coming back from pdk to gmu via direct elw VORTAC, center gave me a course correction, the controller mentioning that it was windy. No excuse for all this sloppy flying, although it may be relevant that a bad impulse coupling made the flight an hour late leaving gmu, late for an appointment in atlanta, then 2 hours late leaving pdk. My passenger was my wife, a non pilot, who was understandably reluctant to fly in a plane which wouldn't start easily. If I had it to do again, I would rent another plane, but my generally sloppy performance is not to be excused by this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT HAD TROUBLE MAINTAINING HDG, ALT, AND AIRSPD CTL WHILE ON AN INST FLT PLAN IN VMC.

Narrative: IFR FLT FROM GMU TO PDK AND RETURN. FLT CONDUCTED IN THE CLR UNDER A HIGH CLOUD BASE. PRIOR TO TKOF, I SET GMU ALTIMETER 1 INCH WRONG SO I WAS LATE MAKING A TURN CALLED BY GREER DEP. CORRECTED ALTIMETER AFTER GREER DEP TOLD ME A SECOND TIME TO MAKE THE TURN. ENRTE TO PDK, CTR CALLED ME TWICE FOR BEING OFF CRUISING ALT, ONCE I WAS 300 FT LOW, LATER I WAS 400 FT HIGH. COMING BACK FROM PDK TO GMU VIA DIRECT ELW VORTAC, CTR GAVE ME A COURSE CORRECTION, THE CTLR MENTIONING THAT IT WAS WINDY. NO EXCUSE FOR ALL THIS SLOPPY FLYING, ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE RELEVANT THAT A BAD IMPULSE COUPLING MADE THE FLT AN HR LATE LEAVING GMU, LATE FOR AN APPOINTMENT IN ATLANTA, THEN 2 HRS LATE LEAVING PDK. MY PAX WAS MY WIFE, A NON PLT, WHO WAS UNDERSTANDABLY RELUCTANT TO FLY IN A PLANE WHICH WOULDN'T START EASILY. IF I HAD IT TO DO AGAIN, I WOULD RENT ANOTHER PLANE, BUT MY GENERALLY SLOPPY PERFORMANCE IS NOT TO BE EXCUSED BY THIS.

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.