PA28 pilot descended below cleared altitude.

Attributes
ACN	434200
Time
Date	199904
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ste.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
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 : 608 flight time type : 68
ASRS Report	434200
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was at 8000 ft MSL when center gave me pilot's discretion to 5000 ft. This was my first time being solo in IMC since my IFR check ride and I was under some stress because of this. I began a slow descent (400-500 FPM) out of 8000 ft. Somewhere during this time, I started thinking I was cleared down to 4000 ft. I broke out of the broken layer somewhere around 5400 ft MSL and continued to somewhere around 4500 ft, when ATC instructed me to climb and maintain 5000 ft. Not realizing my error, I thought it was strange to be getting a climb. Shortly after starting the climb, ATC gave me the information that I was only cleared down to 5000 ft, but I was now cleared down to 3000 ft. Since I was in VMC and rattled by the situation, I closed my IFR flight plan and continued to my destination VFR. I think contributing factors were: my first time IMC without a flight instructor. My error of not checking the altitude I wrote on my kneeboard. Breaking out into VMC caused me to let my guard down and relax (thinking how well my first IFR solo trip went). Prolonged time in which to descend the 3000 ft in which I became busy setting up for the approach. A long time VFR pilot getting an odd altitude on a westerly heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT DSNDED BELOW CLRED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS AT 8000 FT MSL WHEN CTR GAVE ME PLT'S DISCRETION TO 5000 FT. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME BEING SOLO IN IMC SINCE MY IFR CHK RIDE AND I WAS UNDER SOME STRESS BECAUSE OF THIS. I BEGAN A SLOW DSCNT (400-500 FPM) OUT OF 8000 FT. SOMEWHERE DURING THIS TIME, I STARTED THINKING I WAS CLRED DOWN TO 4000 FT. I BROKE OUT OF THE BROKEN LAYER SOMEWHERE AROUND 5400 FT MSL AND CONTINUED TO SOMEWHERE AROUND 4500 FT, WHEN ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. NOT REALIZING MY ERROR, I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE TO BE GETTING A CLB. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CLB, ATC GAVE ME THE INFO THAT I WAS ONLY CLRED DOWN TO 5000 FT, BUT I WAS NOW CLRED DOWN TO 3000 FT. SINCE I WAS IN VMC AND RATTLED BY THE SIT, I CLOSED MY IFR FLT PLAN AND CONTINUED TO MY DEST VFR. I THINK CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: MY FIRST TIME IMC WITHOUT A FLT INSTRUCTOR. MY ERROR OF NOT CHKING THE ALT I WROTE ON MY KNEEBOARD. BREAKING OUT INTO VMC CAUSED ME TO LET MY GUARD DOWN AND RELAX (THINKING HOW WELL MY FIRST IFR SOLO TRIP WENT). PROLONGED TIME IN WHICH TO DSND THE 3000 FT IN WHICH I BECAME BUSY SETTING UP FOR THE APCH. A LONG TIME VFR PLT GETTING AN ODD ALT ON A WESTERLY HDG.

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.