Altitude deviation altitude overshot by pilot of an small aircraft aircraft during descent in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	318060
Time
Date	199510
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cec
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : sea
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 4725 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	318060
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On flight from eugene, or, to crescent city, ca, via north bend, or, frontal activity with freezing level predicted to 6000-7000 ft. Filed IFR at 5000 ft. After departure from eugene, the aircraft ahead of me went to 7000 ft to avoid cumulo nimbus and I also thought I could deviate around the clouds better at that altitude. Was cleared to 7000 ft, then 9000 ft by ATC, by reaching north bend, or. Moderate turbulence and rain encountered. Turning south at north bend, apparent that I couldn't top cumulo nimbus, so went to 7000 ft MEA, assigned by ATC. Between north bend and crescent city encountered more turbulence, rain, and rime ice on spinners and windshield. Reported conditions to ATC and, as nearing crescent city, was assigned lower at 6000 ft, then 4000 ft. Suddenly visual at 4000 ft about 20 DME north of crescent city destination. I had never been there before. The airport was under a cloud deck ahead, about 500 ft ceiling. My commercial IAP manual had been knocked to the floor (turbulence) and I hadn't had time or ability to study an approach plate, when ATC asked me which approach I wanted! Fumbled through the approach plates, selected the VOR for runway 11, advised ATC, and lost 200 ft or more (maybe 300 ft) from 4000 ft assigned altitude while retrieving the manual and finding the several approach plates. I was hand flying because of the turbulence, and too busy! Dumb mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT BY PLT OF AN SMA ACFT DURING DSCNT IN IMC.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM EUGENE, OR, TO CRESCENT CITY, CA, VIA NORTH BEND, OR, FRONTAL ACTIVITY WITH FREEZING LEVEL PREDICTED TO 6000-7000 FT. FILED IFR AT 5000 FT. AFTER DEP FROM EUGENE, THE ACFT AHEAD OF ME WENT TO 7000 FT TO AVOID CUMULO NIMBUS AND I ALSO THOUGHT I COULD DEVIATE AROUND THE CLOUDS BETTER AT THAT ALT. WAS CLRED TO 7000 FT, THEN 9000 FT BY ATC, BY REACHING NORTH BEND, OR. MODERATE TURB AND RAIN ENCOUNTERED. TURNING S AT NORTH BEND, APPARENT THAT I COULDN'T TOP CUMULO NIMBUS, SO WENT TO 7000 FT MEA, ASSIGNED BY ATC. BTWN NORTH BEND AND CRESCENT CITY ENCOUNTERED MORE TURB, RAIN, AND RIME ICE ON SPINNERS AND WINDSHIELD. RPTED CONDITIONS TO ATC AND, AS NEARING CRESCENT CITY, WAS ASSIGNED LOWER AT 6000 FT, THEN 4000 FT. SUDDENLY VISUAL AT 4000 FT ABOUT 20 DME NORTH OF CRESCENT CITY DEST. I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE. THE ARPT WAS UNDER A CLOUD DECK AHEAD, ABOUT 500 FT CEILING. MY COMMERCIAL IAP MANUAL HAD BEEN KNOCKED TO THE FLOOR (TURB) AND I HADN'T HAD TIME OR ABILITY TO STUDY AN APCH PLATE, WHEN ATC ASKED ME WHICH APCH I WANTED! FUMBLED THROUGH THE APCH PLATES, SELECTED THE VOR FOR RWY 11, ADVISED ATC, AND LOST 200 FT OR MORE (MAYBE 300 FT) FROM 4000 FT ASSIGNED ALT WHILE RETRIEVING THE MANUAL AND FINDING THE SEVERAL APCH PLATES. I WAS HAND FLYING BECAUSE OF THE TURB, AND TOO BUSY! DUMB MISTAKE.

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.