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A BE36 descending in ZTL, GA, airspace below cleared altitude as the pilot is distracted by passenger and unfamiliarity with aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 396500 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rmg |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 4100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 36 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 158 flight time total : 396 flight time type : 4 |
| ASRS Report | 396500 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While descending from 8000 ft MSL into rmg, I was given clearance to descend to 4100 ft MSL and told to switch controllers. The next controller advised me to expect a visual into rmg. While looking for the airport and completing my in-range checklist, I realized that I had descended through my assigned altitude of 4100 ft MSL to 3600 ft MSL. There were several contributing factors: first, contradictory to rome AWOS information, horizontal visibility was greatly restr due to a forest fire on the ground. Second, I had limited time in a BE36, and the fact that I was unfamiliar with the aircraft caused me to spend too much time on my procedures. Third, I had a passenger onboard who was interested in aviation, so I explained in detail what I was doing to set up my approach. These 3 factors caused me to be distracted and not leveloff at 4100 ft MSL as instructed by atl ATC. This incident could have been avoided by not fixating on trying to visually locate the airport. Being more familiar with the BE36, and not being distracted by my passenger.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE36 DSNDING IN ZTL, GA, AIRSPACE BELOW CLRED ALT AS THE PLT IS DISTRACTED BY PAX AND UNFAMILIARITY WITH ACFT.
Narrative: WHILE DSNDING FROM 8000 FT MSL INTO RMG, I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND TO 4100 FT MSL AND TOLD TO SWITCH CTLRS. THE NEXT CTLR ADVISED ME TO EXPECT A VISUAL INTO RMG. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE ARPT AND COMPLETING MY IN-RANGE CHKLIST, I REALIZED THAT I HAD DSNDED THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 4100 FT MSL TO 3600 FT MSL. THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FIRST, CONTRADICTORY TO ROME AWOS INFO, HORIZ VISIBILITY WAS GREATLY RESTR DUE TO A FOREST FIRE ON THE GND. SECOND, I HAD LIMITED TIME IN A BE36, AND THE FACT THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ACFT CAUSED ME TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON MY PROCS. THIRD, I HAD A PAX ONBOARD WHO WAS INTERESTED IN AVIATION, SO I EXPLAINED IN DETAIL WHAT I WAS DOING TO SET UP MY APCH. THESE 3 FACTORS CAUSED ME TO BE DISTRACTED AND NOT LEVELOFF AT 4100 FT MSL AS INSTRUCTED BY ATL ATC. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY NOT FIXATING ON TRYING TO VISUALLY LOCATE THE ARPT. BEING MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE BE36, AND NOT BEING DISTRACTED BY MY PAX.
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.