Non instrument rated commercial pilot of a piper PA32R, allowed his passenger friend to descend below assigned altitude during an IFR cross country flight.

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Attributes
ACN	361690
Time
Date	199702
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : las
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 airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	361690
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far other anomaly other
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:

While flying en route to boston from dulles, the controller said that we were at 6500 ft instead of 7000 ft. I was flying with a friend and I was letting him fly from the right seat. As we were flying, my friend was not holding altitude and I kept reminding him to maintain altitude. At one point the controller said we were at 6500 ft rather than 7000 ft. The controller repeated the altimeter setting. We had the correct altimeter setting. We may have been off 250 ft but I don't believe we ever were 500 ft off. On the return flight, we asked a controller to verify our altitude and he said we were at the correct altitude. Corrective action: make a better effort to maintain altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON INST RATED COMMERCIAL PLT OF A PIPER PA32R, ALLOWED HIS PAX FRIEND TO DSND BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING AN IFR XCOUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING ENRTE TO BOSTON FROM DULLES, THE CTLR SAID THAT WE WERE AT 6500 FT INSTEAD OF 7000 FT. I WAS FLYING WITH A FRIEND AND I WAS LETTING HIM FLY FROM THE R SEAT. AS WE WERE FLYING, MY FRIEND WAS NOT HOLDING ALT AND I KEPT REMINDING HIM TO MAINTAIN ALT. AT ONE POINT THE CTLR SAID WE WERE AT 6500 FT RATHER THAN 7000 FT. THE CTLR REPEATED THE ALTIMETER SETTING. WE HAD THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING. WE MAY HAVE BEEN OFF 250 FT BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE EVER WERE 500 FT OFF. ON THE RETURN FLT, WE ASKED A CTLR TO VERIFY OUR ALT AND HE SAID WE WERE AT THE CORRECT ALT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: MAKE A BETTER EFFORT TO MAINTAIN 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.