Private pilot of an small aircraft sel failed to fly at assigned altitude due to turbulence and loca...

Attributes
ACN	301850
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rmg airport : pdk
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	301850
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was unable to smoothly control altitude in my aircraft in turbulence at the rearward end of the center of gravity envelope. 300 ft fluctuations in my altitude occurred while I was transitioning from my clearance as filed to an unfamiliar arrival procedure with almost no notice by ATC, then my clearance was amended another 2 times, prior to me recovering from the last min changes prior to my arrival. After landing, I reloaded my aircraft more to center center of gravity and my altitude fluctuation improved considerably. ATC could have given me more notice and I would have performed better. I suppose it was a good experience to see what a difficult transition it can be in turbulence and with rapid changes and instructions from ATC. There was apparently no danger, because there was no traffic in my vicinity. I would feel better about my experience if the controller had been more supportive and tolerant given the situation, but I felt a more antagonistic attitude from the controller prevailed, which added to my frustration and difficulty. I frequently fly in congested airspace in chicago and I am used to frequent, fast communication. Had my plane been better loaded, there been less turbulence (continuous mild to moderate) at the end of a nearly 4 hour solo flight, and if ATC had notified me en route instead of on arrival, the entire situation would have been greatly improved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL FAILED TO FLY AT ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO TURB AND LOCATION OF ACFT 'CTR OF GRAVITY.'

Narrative: I WAS UNABLE TO SMOOTHLY CTL ALT IN MY ACFT IN TURB AT THE REARWARD END OF THE CTR OF GRAVITY ENVELOPE. 300 FT FLUCTUATIONS IN MY ALT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TRANSITIONING FROM MY CLRNC AS FILED TO AN UNFAMILIAR ARR PROC WITH ALMOST NO NOTICE BY ATC, THEN MY CLRNC WAS AMENDED ANOTHER 2 TIMES, PRIOR TO ME RECOVERING FROM THE LAST MIN CHANGES PRIOR TO MY ARR. AFTER LNDG, I RELOADED MY ACFT MORE TO CTR CTR OF GRAVITY AND MY ALT FLUCTUATION IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY. ATC COULD HAVE GIVEN ME MORE NOTICE AND I WOULD HAVE PERFORMED BETTER. I SUPPOSE IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE TO SEE WHAT A DIFFICULT TRANSITION IT CAN BE IN TURB AND WITH RAPID CHANGES AND INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC. THERE WAS APPARENTLY NO DANGER, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TFC IN MY VICINITY. I WOULD FEEL BETTER ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IF THE CTLR HAD BEEN MORE SUPPORTIVE AND TOLERANT GIVEN THE SIT, BUT I FELT A MORE ANTAGONISTIC ATTITUDE FROM THE CTLR PREVAILED, WHICH ADDED TO MY FRUSTRATION AND DIFFICULTY. I FREQUENTLY FLY IN CONGESTED AIRSPACE IN CHICAGO AND I AM USED TO FREQUENT, FAST COM. HAD MY PLANE BEEN BETTER LOADED, THERE BEEN LESS TURB (CONTINUOUS MILD TO MODERATE) AT THE END OF A NEARLY 4 HR SOLO FLT, AND IF ATC HAD NOTIFIED ME ENRTE INSTEAD OF ON ARR, THE ENTIRE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREATLY IMPROVED.

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.

Private pilot of an small aircraft sel failed to fly at assigned altitude due to turbulence and location of aircraft 'center of gravity.'