Narrative:

Climbing out of key west at dusk I was unable to get panel lights to work properly. While trying to get panel lights on I noticed suction warning light was on, but suction instrument was reading in the green (normal operating range). While trying to decide which instrument to believe, I climbed through assigned altitude of 4000 ft. Lesson learned is not to fixate on any problem, but continue to monitor aircraft instruments. Corrective action was to return back to 4000 ft. Also, during this flight I was able to use some of the panel lights, which was why I continued the flight after landing at naples to check WX. However, after taking off from naples I entered rain showers and clouds which made the cockpit even darker. I took out my flashlight to be able to read the charts, but it only worked 30 seconds to 1 min before the bulb went out. That made it next to impossible to read the charts, so I asked ATC for directions to the nearest airport, which was page field in fort myers. I elected to land at fort myers and spent the night. I returned to daytona beach VFR the next morning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA SEL OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO INST AND INST PANEL LIGHTS PROB DISTR.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF KEY WEST AT DUSK I WAS UNABLE TO GET PANEL LIGHTS TO WORK PROPERLY. WHILE TRYING TO GET PANEL LIGHTS ON I NOTICED SUCTION WARNING LIGHT WAS ON, BUT SUCTION INST WAS READING IN THE GREEN (NORMAL OPERATING RANGE). WHILE TRYING TO DECIDE WHICH INST TO BELIEVE, I CLBED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT. LESSON LEARNED IS NOT TO FIXATE ON ANY PROB, BUT CONTINUE TO MONITOR ACFT INSTS. CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TO RETURN BACK TO 4000 FT. ALSO, DURING THIS FLT I WAS ABLE TO USE SOME OF THE PANEL LIGHTS, WHICH WAS WHY I CONTINUED THE FLT AFTER LNDG AT NAPLES TO CHK WX. HOWEVER, AFTER TAKING OFF FROM NAPLES I ENTERED RAIN SHOWERS AND CLOUDS WHICH MADE THE COCKPIT EVEN DARKER. I TOOK OUT MY FLASHLIGHT TO BE ABLE TO READ THE CHARTS, BUT IT ONLY WORKED 30 SECONDS TO 1 MIN BEFORE THE BULB WENT OUT. THAT MADE IT NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE CHARTS, SO I ASKED ATC FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE NEAREST ARPT, WHICH WAS PAGE FIELD IN FORT MYERS. I ELECTED TO LAND AT FORT MYERS AND SPENT THE NIGHT. I RETURNED TO DAYTONA BEACH VFR THE NEXT MORNING.

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.