Altitude deviation. Excursion from assigned.

Attributes
ACN	316660
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bil
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Turbo Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zlc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 1272 flight time type : 269
ASRS Report	316660
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was filed IFR with ZLC in VFR condition. Was momentarily distracted by scenery and dropped below assigned altitude. I should have paid more attention to my instrument panel scan as I was filed with center and autoplt was inoperative. Center gave bar pressure setting and asked altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV. EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED.

Narrative: I WAS FILED IFR WITH ZLC IN VFR CONDITION. WAS MOMENTARILY DISTRACTED BY SCENERY AND DROPPED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO MY INST PANEL SCAN AS I WAS FILED WITH CTR AND AUTOPLT WAS INOP. CTR GAVE BAR PRESSURE SETTING AND ASKED 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.