Narrative:

My wife and I departed hao to eri. The route of flight was northeast to V-5 through columbus, oh. I was cruising at 5000 ft when columbus approach asked if I would accept either a diversion or climb to 7000 ft. I accepted 7000 ft. After passing through cmh, I was handed off the ZID. I was flying to tiverton VOR on V-43. My wife informed me that she was not feeling good. I thought a lower altitude might be better. I requested 5000 ft and was cleared. As I was approaching the assigned altitude, my wife's condition got worse. I thought the plane was stable at 5000 ft. The next thing I remember is the controller telling me I was at 4500 ft. I agreed. I noticed that I was also off course which increased my nervousness. I started to climb back to my assigned altitude and asked the controller to go back to 7000 ft. He informed me to get back to 5000 ft and standby to copy a phone number because of a possible violation. I got back to 5000 ft, copied the number, and was once again cleared for 7000 ft. I was told later from an FAA specialist that I did not respond to a traffic call that was 1000 ft above me. I did not hear the controller inform me of any traffic. This situation developed because I became involved with my wife's condition. I thought I could divert my attention long enough to help my wife and return to flying without any problem, I was wrong. Action items to prevent this from happening again: 1) do not accept any diversions from my passenger, 2) when my wife informed that she was not feeling good, I should have landed at cmh, 3) inform passenger where the airsick supplies are kept, 4) inform passenger how to open/close air vents, 5) a higher altitude may be better than a lower altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS ALTDEV ON IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I DEPARTED HAO TO ERI. THE RTE OF FLT WAS NE TO V-5 THROUGH COLUMBUS, OH. I WAS CRUISING AT 5000 FT WHEN COLUMBUS APCH ASKED IF I WOULD ACCEPT EITHER A DIVERSION OR CLB TO 7000 FT. I ACCEPTED 7000 FT. AFTER PASSING THROUGH CMH, I WAS HANDED OFF THE ZID. I WAS FLYING TO TIVERTON VOR ON V-43. MY WIFE INFORMED ME THAT SHE WAS NOT FEELING GOOD. I THOUGHT A LOWER ALT MIGHT BE BETTER. I REQUESTED 5000 FT AND WAS CLRED. AS I WAS APCHING THE ASSIGNED ALT, MY WIFE'S CONDITION GOT WORSE. I THOUGHT THE PLANE WAS STABLE AT 5000 FT. THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER IS THE CTLR TELLING ME I WAS AT 4500 FT. I AGREED. I NOTICED THAT I WAS ALSO OFF COURSE WHICH INCREASED MY NERVOUSNESS. I STARTED TO CLB BACK TO MY ASSIGNED ALT AND ASKED THE CTLR TO GO BACK TO 7000 FT. HE INFORMED ME TO GET BACK TO 5000 FT AND STANDBY TO COPY A PHONE NUMBER BECAUSE OF A POSSIBLE VIOLATION. I GOT BACK TO 5000 FT, COPIED THE NUMBER, AND WAS ONCE AGAIN CLRED FOR 7000 FT. I WAS TOLD LATER FROM AN FAA SPECIALIST THAT I DID NOT RESPOND TO A TFC CALL THAT WAS 1000 FT ABOVE ME. I DID NOT HEAR THE CTLR INFORM ME OF ANY TFC. THIS SIT DEVELOPED BECAUSE I BECAME INVOLVED WITH MY WIFE'S CONDITION. I THOUGHT I COULD DIVERT MY ATTN LONG ENOUGH TO HELP MY WIFE AND RETURN TO FLYING WITHOUT ANY PROB, I WAS WRONG. ACTION ITEMS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN: 1) DO NOT ACCEPT ANY DIVERSIONS FROM MY PAX, 2) WHEN MY WIFE INFORMED THAT SHE WAS NOT FEELING GOOD, I SHOULD HAVE LANDED AT CMH, 3) INFORM PAX WHERE THE AIRSICK SUPPLIES ARE KEPT, 4) INFORM PAX HOW TO OPEN/CLOSE AIR VENTS, 5) A HIGHER ALT MAY BE BETTER THAN A LOWER ALT.

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.