A new instrument pilot became confused with his clearance while flying in close proximity to a thunderstorm. Up and downdrafts, as well as banking too aggressively, caused him to lose 300 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	447010
Time
Date	199908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mrb.vortac
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon tracon : bwi.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : holding
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 596 flight time type : 265
ASRS Report	447010
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Had received a clearance of direct mrb. Strikefinder showed thunderstorm approximately 5 mi nnw of mrb VOR. Requested 15 degree deviation to south to avoid this and join the 230 degree radial (which is the course for the VOR-DME a approach to winchester, va). At approximately 8 mi from mrb on this new course, was handed off to dulles, who gave hold, 'east of mrb VOR, at 10 mi, 1 mi legs,' no efc (expect further clearance) given. Copilot thought controller indicated 109 degree radial. I called controller to clarify radial, which was clarified as 090 degrees. Turned outbound on 090 degree radial (which put us closer to thunderstorm) and was in building cumulus, with up and downdrafts. Rate of turn exceeded standard rate and we lost approximately 300 ft momentarily. Immediately regained altitude and then controller cleared us direct to mrb for VOR approach. Contributing factors were an uncertain clearance, proximity of thunderstorm activity, and up and downdrafts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NEW INST PLT BECAME CONFUSED WITH HIS CLRNC WHILE FLYING IN CLOSE PROX TO A TSTM. UP AND DOWNDRAFTS, AS WELL AS BANKING TOO AGGRESSIVELY, CAUSED HIM TO LOSE 300 FT.

Narrative: HAD RECEIVED A CLRNC OF DIRECT MRB. STRIKEFINDER SHOWED TSTM APPROX 5 MI NNW OF MRB VOR. REQUESTED 15 DEG DEV TO S TO AVOID THIS AND JOIN THE 230 DEG RADIAL (WHICH IS THE COURSE FOR THE VOR-DME A APCH TO WINCHESTER, VA). AT APPROX 8 MI FROM MRB ON THIS NEW COURSE, WAS HANDED OFF TO DULLES, WHO GAVE HOLD, 'E OF MRB VOR, AT 10 MI, 1 MI LEGS,' NO EFC (EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC) GIVEN. COPLT THOUGHT CTLR INDICATED 109 DEG RADIAL. I CALLED CTLR TO CLARIFY RADIAL, WHICH WAS CLARIFIED AS 090 DEGS. TURNED OUTBOUND ON 090 DEG RADIAL (WHICH PUT US CLOSER TO TSTM) AND WAS IN BUILDING CUMULUS, WITH UP AND DOWNDRAFTS. RATE OF TURN EXCEEDED STANDARD RATE AND WE LOST APPROX 300 FT MOMENTARILY. IMMEDIATELY REGAINED ALT AND THEN CTLR CLRED US DIRECT TO MRB FOR VOR APCH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE AN UNCERTAIN CLRNC, PROX OF TSTM ACTIVITY, AND UP AND DOWNDRAFTS.

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.