<< >> NASA ASRS Report 354890, December 1996

Altitude deviation altitude excursion occurs as private pilot in a PA32 executes an altitude excursion while turned on a new heading, 'vector for climb.' incident produced a potential conflict with opposite direction traffic.

Attributes
ACN	354890
Time
Date	199612
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdr
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1820 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	354890
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from bdr to 5b2, I was level at 5000 ft after passing opposite direction traffic at 6000 ft. I was cleared for a right turn to 060 degrees, vectors for climb. After turning to 060 degrees I allowed the aircraft to climb to 5300 ft prior to being advised by center that no new altitude was issued and I should return to 5000 ft. Being very familiar with this route and knowing that a climb is usually given at this point may have contributed to my premature climb to 5300 ft. I would suggest that a better clearance would have been 'right turn 060 degrees,' or 'right turn 060 degrees maintain 5000 ft.' leaving the word climb out of the clearance would probably have prevented me from making the mistake.

Related reports:

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION OCCURS AS PVT PLT IN A PA32 EXECUTES AN ALT EXCURSION WHILE TURNED ON A NEW HEADING, 'VECTOR FOR CLB.' INCIDENT PRODUCED A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM BDR TO 5B2, I WAS LEVEL AT 5000 FT AFTER PASSING OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT 6000 FT. I WAS CLRED FOR A R TURN TO 060 DEGS, VECTORS FOR CLB. AFTER TURNING TO 060 DEGS I ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CLB TO 5300 FT PRIOR TO BEING ADVISED BY CTR THAT NO NEW ALT WAS ISSUED AND I SHOULD RETURN TO 5000 FT. BEING VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS RTE AND KNOWING THAT A CLB IS USUALLY GIVEN AT THIS POINT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MY PREMATURE CLB TO 5300 FT. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A BETTER CLRNC WOULD HAVE BEEN 'R TURN 060 DEGS,' OR 'R TURN 060 DEGS MAINTAIN 5000 FT.' LEAVING THE WORD CLB OUT OF THE CLRNC WOULD PROBABLY HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM MAKING THE 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.