A turboprop, which had just been released from maintenance, had received a nose 'gear unsafe' light,...

Attributes
ACN	298632
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eon
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Turbo Commander 690C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	298632
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft had maintenance performed on nose gear strut, this was first flight since maintenance. Departure was from runway 22L at mdw, runway heading assigned at XA06 Z. At lift-off, gear came up, but 'gear unsafe' light remained on. In span of next 6 mins, I received 2 frequency changes (tower to departure, departure to center) and 2 altitude clearance changes (3000 ft to 5000 ft, and 5000 ft to 10000 ft), and 1 heading change. At the same time, I completed 3 additional extend/retract gear cycles, monitoring the gear indicator lights. I was hand flying. At XA12Z, ZAU questioned my altitude clearance. I was at 11700 ft and climbing, but had been cleared to 10000 ft, I confessed error, and ATC immediately cleared me to 12000 ft, there were no known conflicts. Distraction with the faulty nose gear was the primary cause, altitude audible alert was functioning and in use, correctly set to 10000 ft, but the single tone or chime was not enough to take my focus away from the nose gear. Ironically, I was on my way to commercial training facility for recurrent training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TURBOPROP, WHICH HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM MAINT, HAD RECEIVED A NOSE 'GEAR UNSAFE' LIGHT, AND THIS WAS DISTRACTING ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE FLC TO OVERSHOOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ACFT HAD MAINT PERFORMED ON NOSE GEAR STRUT, THIS WAS FIRST FLT SINCE MAINT. DEP WAS FROM RWY 22L AT MDW, RWY HDG ASSIGNED AT XA06 Z. AT LIFT-OFF, GEAR CAME UP, BUT 'GEAR UNSAFE' LIGHT REMAINED ON. IN SPAN OF NEXT 6 MINS, I RECEIVED 2 FREQ CHANGES (TWR TO DEP, DEP TO CTR) AND 2 ALT CLRNC CHANGES (3000 FT TO 5000 FT, AND 5000 FT TO 10000 FT), AND 1 HDG CHANGE. AT THE SAME TIME, I COMPLETED 3 ADDITIONAL EXTEND/RETRACT GEAR CYCLES, MONITORING THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS. I WAS HAND FLYING. AT XA12Z, ZAU QUESTIONED MY ALT CLRNC. I WAS AT 11700 FT AND CLBING, BUT HAD BEEN CLRED TO 10000 FT, I CONFESSED ERROR, AND ATC IMMEDIATELY CLRED ME TO 12000 FT, THERE WERE NO KNOWN CONFLICTS. DISTR WITH THE FAULTY NOSE GEAR WAS THE PRIMARY CAUSE, ALT AUDIBLE ALERT WAS FUNCTIONING AND IN USE, CORRECTLY SET TO 10000 FT, BUT THE SINGLE TONE OR CHIME WAS NOT ENOUGH TO TAKE MY FOCUS AWAY FROM THE NOSE GEAR. IRONICALLY, I WAS ON MY WAY TO COMMERCIAL TRAINING FACILITY FOR RECURRENT TRAINING.

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.

A turboprop, which had just been released from maintenance, had received a nose 'gear unsafe' light, and this was distracting enough to cause the flight crew to overshoot assigned altitude.