Pilot assigned 2000 ft allows altitude to deviate to 2800 ft.

Attributes
ACN	319191
Time
Date	199510
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-23 Apache (& Geronimo Apache)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 111 flight time total : 1092 flight time type : 104
ASRS Report	319191
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

It was XA50 local time when I took off from fxe with an IFR clearance to takeoff from runway 8, make a left turn to heading of 310 degrees. I proceeded to climb to 2000 ft MSL. Fxe tower told me to contact miami departure on 119.7. I preceded to do so and initially they received my call, but after that they were not receiving my xmissions. I continued to try to make radio contact but could not. At this time I checked the load on the voltmeter. Initially it showed a negative load. I checked circuit breakers, they were ok. I then recycled the radios and unplugged the headset to check the cords and male adapter (plugs). Everything looked ok. I plugged back into the intercom and I could hear them but still could not transmit. At this point I had climbed to 2800 ft MSL unintentionally. I then descended back down to 2000 ft MSL. Miami departure came over the radio telling apache XXXX make a left turn to a heading of 180 degrees for a further clearance to land back at fxe. If transmission received, reply by identing they told me (mia departure). I replied and proceeded to the instructions given. At this point I was still trying to fix the problem. One last time I pulled the microphone adapter out of the intercom and cleaned it off with a rag and then plugged it back in. Finally I was able to contact miami departure and they could hear me loud and clear. There was no immediate danger because the WX was VMC 10 mi from fxe, there was no traffic in the vicinity, and the plane was in control except for climbing to 2800 ft MSL by accident. The rest of the flight was no problem and I continued to orl checking my radio throughout the flight. Apparently my headset plugs were not making a clean contact and after checking the radios they were not the problem except the female socket for the headset plugs had some corrosion in the microphone outlet. I feel I handled the situation the best I could although I should have maintained my altitude. Miami departure was very understanding and helpful with this situation. Thank you for understanding and time in this matter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ASSIGNED 2000 FT ALLOWS ALT TO DEVIATE TO 2800 FT.

Narrative: IT WAS XA50 LCL TIME WHEN I TOOK OFF FROM FXE WITH AN IFR CLRNC TO TKOF FROM RWY 8, MAKE A L TURN TO HDG OF 310 DEGS. I PROCEEDED TO CLB TO 2000 FT MSL. FXE TWR TOLD ME TO CONTACT MIAMI DEP ON 119.7. I PRECEDED TO DO SO AND INITIALLY THEY RECEIVED MY CALL, BUT AFTER THAT THEY WERE NOT RECEIVING MY XMISSIONS. I CONTINUED TO TRY TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT BUT COULD NOT. AT THIS TIME I CHKED THE LOAD ON THE VOLTMETER. INITIALLY IT SHOWED A NEGATIVE LOAD. I CHKED CIRCUIT BREAKERS, THEY WERE OK. I THEN RECYCLED THE RADIOS AND UNPLUGGED THE HEADSET TO CHK THE CORDS AND MALE ADAPTER (PLUGS). EVERYTHING LOOKED OK. I PLUGGED BACK INTO THE INTERCOM AND I COULD HEAR THEM BUT STILL COULD NOT XMIT. AT THIS POINT I HAD CLBED TO 2800 FT MSL UNINTENTIONALLY. I THEN DSNDED BACK DOWN TO 2000 FT MSL. MIAMI DEP CAME OVER THE RADIO TELLING APACHE XXXX MAKE A L TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS FOR A FURTHER CLRNC TO LAND BACK AT FXE. IF XMISSION RECEIVED, REPLY BY IDENTING THEY TOLD ME (MIA DEP). I REPLIED AND PROCEEDED TO THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. AT THIS POINT I WAS STILL TRYING TO FIX THE PROB. ONE LAST TIME I PULLED THE MIKE ADAPTER OUT OF THE INTERCOM AND CLEANED IT OFF WITH A RAG AND THEN PLUGGED IT BACK IN. FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT MIAMI DEP AND THEY COULD HEAR ME LOUD AND CLR. THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER BECAUSE THE WX WAS VMC 10 MI FROM FXE, THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE VICINITY, AND THE PLANE WAS IN CTL EXCEPT FOR CLBING TO 2800 FT MSL BY ACCIDENT. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NO PROB AND I CONTINUED TO ORL CHKING MY RADIO THROUGHOUT THE FLT. APPARENTLY MY HEADSET PLUGS WERE NOT MAKING A CLEAN CONTACT AND AFTER CHKING THE RADIOS THEY WERE NOT THE PROB EXCEPT THE FEMALE SOCKET FOR THE HEADSET PLUGS HAD SOME CORROSION IN THE MIKE OUTLET. I FEEL I HANDLED THE SIT THE BEST I COULD ALTHOUGH I SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED MY ALT. MIAMI DEP WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING AND HELPFUL WITH THIS SIT. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING AND TIME IN THIS MATTER.

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.