Narrative:

I departed ral IFR to VFR on top in 4 mi visibility 3000- 3500 ft overcast with tops at 5000 ft at approximately XA45. I departed on runway 27 direct to pdz VOR with a clearance to maintain 4000 ft AGL. I was handed off to socal approach from ral tower. At about 1500-2000 ft I was directed by socal approach or vectored off my direct heading to pdz VOR approximately 2 mi prior to the fix by socal approach and told to turn to a heading of 140 degrees which I did and climb and maintain 4000 ft. As I was coming up through 3000 ft I was amended to maintain 3000 ft, I had autoplt set for 4000 ft. By the time I reached the knob to reset to 3000 ft and set pitch for descent I was climbing through 3600 ft. The aircraft did not respond quick enough so I turned off autoplt when approach announced traffic alert 12 O'clock position. Approximately 3 seconds later I was at 3000 ft with manual control and I heard aircraft at 12 O'clock position announced. He was IMC when I was VFR at 3000 ft. I was told to call 619 area when I landed which I did at calexico. Note: I believe the controller should have let me continue to pdz VOR as was initial clearance and not vector me into a 12 O'clock position on-coming aircraft. The traffic alert was given within 30 seconds after vectoring me in his direction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA30 TWIN COMMANCHE OVERSHOT DEP ALT RESULTING IN A CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. THE PLT BLAMES THIS INCIDENT ON ATC GIVING A LATE CLRNC TO STOP CLB AT THE ALT PASSING THROUGH AND AUTOPLT SLOW IN RESPONDING TO A DSCNT BACK DOWN TO THE NEWLY ASSIGNED ALT. RPTR DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND RETURNED QUICKLY TO ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED RAL IFR TO VFR ON TOP IN 4 MI VISIBILITY 3000- 3500 FT OVCST WITH TOPS AT 5000 FT AT APPROX XA45. I DEPARTED ON RWY 27 DIRECT TO PDZ VOR WITH A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT AGL. I WAS HANDED OFF TO SOCAL APCH FROM RAL TWR. AT ABOUT 1500-2000 FT I WAS DIRECTED BY SOCAL APCH OR VECTORED OFF MY DIRECT HEADING TO PDZ VOR APPROX 2 MI PRIOR TO THE FIX BY SOCAL APCH AND TOLD TO TURN TO A HDG OF 140 DEGS WHICH I DID AND CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. AS I WAS COMING UP THROUGH 3000 FT I WAS AMENDED TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT, I HAD AUTOPLT SET FOR 4000 FT. BY THE TIME I REACHED THE KNOB TO RESET TO 3000 FT AND SET PITCH FOR DSCNT I WAS CLBING THROUGH 3600 FT. THE ACFT DID NOT RESPOND QUICK ENOUGH SO I TURNED OFF AUTOPLT WHEN APCH ANNOUNCED TFC ALERT 12 O'CLOCK POS. APPROX 3 SECONDS LATER I WAS AT 3000 FT WITH MANUAL CTL AND I HEARD ACFT AT 12 O'CLOCK POS ANNOUNCED. HE WAS IMC WHEN I WAS VFR AT 3000 FT. I WAS TOLD TO CALL 619 AREA WHEN I LANDED WHICH I DID AT CALEXICO. NOTE: I BELIEVE THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE LET ME CONTINUE TO PDZ VOR AS WAS INITIAL CLRNC AND NOT VECTOR ME INTO A 12 O'CLOCK POS ON-COMING ACFT. THE TFC ALERT WAS GIVEN WITHIN 30 SECONDS AFTER VECTORING ME IN HIS DIRECTION.

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.