A corporate small transport pilot found that he deviated from his assigned altitude in heavy WX.

Attributes
ACN	237942
Time
Date	199304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pdx tower : pdx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	237942
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

1) single pilot, heavy IFR, ice, short flight leg (15 mins) in high density area during fri evening ATC rush. No flts in previous 86 days, 1 flight in previous 4 1/2 months. Small transport with 6 passenger. 2) moving workers back to company airport. WX was marginal for the approach and ATC vectored me for an approach I was not set up for. Failed to identify a fix that I thought I had passed. 3) let down 500 ft too soon on the approach. 4) I had been advising the company I needed more current flight time. When finally called, I had no notice, a rush trip to pick up the aircraft at another airport where 6 company passenger had been waiting for hours. WX was terrible, cockpit workload high and ATC swamped. Complicated by being such a short flight leg that I was behind the aircraft and ATC instructions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting pilot states that he was legal by 8-10 days to take this flight. There have been no repercussions from the FAA or his company. Most of his flying is instructing in helicopters for a heavy lift company. The reporter states that all of his experience in the past didn't really help here as he had not been in the ATC system and in heavy WX for some time. Most of his recent flying had been in helicopters.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CORPORATE SMT PLT FOUND THAT HE DEVIATED FROM HIS ASSIGNED ALT IN HVY WX.

Narrative: 1) SINGLE PLT, HVY IFR, ICE, SHORT FLT LEG (15 MINS) IN HIGH DENSITY AREA DURING FRI EVENING ATC RUSH. NO FLTS IN PREVIOUS 86 DAYS, 1 FLT IN PREVIOUS 4 1/2 MONTHS. SMT WITH 6 PAX. 2) MOVING WORKERS BACK TO COMPANY ARPT. WX WAS MARGINAL FOR THE APCH AND ATC VECTORED ME FOR AN APCH I WAS NOT SET UP FOR. FAILED TO IDENT A FIX THAT I THOUGHT I HAD PASSED. 3) LET DOWN 500 FT TOO SOON ON THE APCH. 4) I HAD BEEN ADVISING THE COMPANY I NEEDED MORE CURRENT FLT TIME. WHEN FINALLY CALLED, I HAD NO NOTICE, A RUSH TRIP TO PICK UP THE ACFT AT ANOTHER ARPT WHERE 6 COMPANY PAX HAD BEEN WAITING FOR HRS. WX WAS TERRIBLE, COCKPIT WORKLOAD HIGH AND ATC SWAMPED. COMPLICATED BY BEING SUCH A SHORT FLT LEG THAT I WAS BEHIND THE ACFT AND ATC INSTRUCTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING PLT STATES THAT HE WAS LEGAL BY 8-10 DAYS TO TAKE THIS FLT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPERCUSSIONS FROM THE FAA OR HIS COMPANY. MOST OF HIS FLYING IS INSTRUCTING IN HELIS FOR A HVY LIFT COMPANY. THE RPTR STATES THAT ALL OF HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST DIDN'T REALLY HELP HERE AS HE HAD NOT BEEN IN THE ATC SYS AND IN HVY WX FOR SOME TIME. MOST OF HIS RECENT FLYING HAD BEEN IN HELIS.

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.