Altitude deviation altitude overshot both ways.

Attributes
ACN	295843
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10800 msl bound upper : 11100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : azo
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : phx
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	295843
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying STAR and radar vectors to glendale (geu), passenger (employer) requested destination change to scottsdale (sdl). Pilot was searching for approach charts and airport information for new destination. Some confusion as to whether assigned radial was from phx or willie VOR. Unfamiliar with the area. Was assigned descent to 11000 ft. Turned autoplt 'altitude select' to 11000 ft, began descent. Inquired as to correct VOR. Informed it was phx. Resumed search for airport and approach charts. Traffic was called at 12 O'clock, unable to locate traffic. Report 'no contact.' was informed that assigned altitude was 11000 ft. Observed altimeter below 11000 ft. Initiated climb. Was instructed to report 'level at 11000 ft.' climbed to assigned altitude and reported reaching. Overshot altitude to 11100 ft. Noticed at that time autoplt altitude hold failed to engage. Saw that altitude preselect dial was set midway between 11000 ft and 11100 ft. Because of this, altitude hold failed to engage. Reset altitude hold to 11000 ft detent, at which time 'altitude hold' engaged and held. Continued flight and landed without incident. Attribute problem to lack of familiarity with the area, last min destination change by passenger, autoplt altitude preselect improperly set (not fully in selected altitude detent) and the resultant failure of the autoplt to engage altitude hold, and attention and instrument scan interrupted by search for 12 O'clock traffic, and controller's failure to bring altitude deviation to attention sooner. There was some haze and possibly devoted too much time to visual search for reported traffic, taking time away from flying duties and instrument scan. Need to more efficiently allocate time between outside cockpit observations and internal instrument scan and proper control settings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT BOTH WAYS.

Narrative: FLYING STAR AND RADAR VECTORS TO GLENDALE (GEU), PAX (EMPLOYER) REQUESTED DEST CHANGE TO SCOTTSDALE (SDL). PLT WAS SEARCHING FOR APCH CHARTS AND ARPT INFO FOR NEW DEST. SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER ASSIGNED RADIAL WAS FROM PHX OR WILLIE VOR. UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. WAS ASSIGNED DSCNT TO 11000 FT. TURNED AUTOPLT 'ALT SELECT' TO 11000 FT, BEGAN DSCNT. INQUIRED AS TO CORRECT VOR. INFORMED IT WAS PHX. RESUMED SEARCH FOR ARPT AND APCH CHARTS. TFC WAS CALLED AT 12 O'CLOCK, UNABLE TO LOCATE TFC. RPT 'NO CONTACT.' WAS INFORMED THAT ASSIGNED ALT WAS 11000 FT. OBSERVED ALTIMETER BELOW 11000 FT. INITIATED CLB. WAS INSTRUCTED TO RPT 'LEVEL AT 11000 FT.' CLBED TO ASSIGNED ALT AND RPTED REACHING. OVERSHOT ALT TO 11100 FT. NOTICED AT THAT TIME AUTOPLT ALT HOLD FAILED TO ENGAGE. SAW THAT ALT PRESELECT DIAL WAS SET MIDWAY BTWN 11000 FT AND 11100 FT. BECAUSE OF THIS, ALT HOLD FAILED TO ENGAGE. RESET ALT HOLD TO 11000 FT DETENT, AT WHICH TIME 'ALT HOLD' ENGAGED AND HELD. CONTINUED FLT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ATTRIBUTE PROB TO LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA, LAST MIN DEST CHANGE BY PAX, AUTOPLT ALT PRESELECT IMPROPERLY SET (NOT FULLY IN SELECTED ALT DETENT) AND THE RESULTANT FAILURE OF THE AUTOPLT TO ENGAGE ALT HOLD, AND ATTN AND INST SCAN INTERRUPTED BY SEARCH FOR 12 O'CLOCK TFC, AND CTLR'S FAILURE TO BRING ALTDEV TO ATTN SOONER. THERE WAS SOME HAZE AND POSSIBLY DEVOTED TOO MUCH TIME TO VISUAL SEARCH FOR RPTED TFC, TAKING TIME AWAY FROM FLYING DUTIES AND INST SCAN. NEED TO MORE EFFICIENTLY ALLOCATE TIME BTWN OUTSIDE COCKPIT OBSERVATIONS AND INTERNAL INST SCAN AND PROPER CTL SETTINGS.

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.