Beechcraft pilot flies wrong altitude for direction of flight.

Attributes
ACN	453285
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16500 msl bound upper : 17500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 114 flight time total : 3482 flight time type : 425
ASRS Report	453285
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Passenger arrived 3 hours early at btr, la. I had not filed an IFR flight plan. I decided to depart for shv on a VFR flight plan with flight following. The ground controller at btr asked for confirmation of requested altitude of 17500 ft, which I did. The WX was absolutely cavu. Approximately 75 DME south of emg VOR, ZHU wanted to know if I would be starting my descent soon, as I was at the wrong altitude for my direction of flight. This is where I first realized my error. I immediately descended to 16500 ft and was handed over to ZFW. I really think that most of the problem was that I always file IFR, regardless of the WX. I got into a hurry and just did not stop and think about the correct altitudes for a flight nwbound. Additionally, the ground controller and ZHU controller could have alerted me earlier. Of course, I know the FAA is trying to place all responsibility on the PIC, and accept none on their part. I think that we all will make mistakes from time to time, but if we all worked together, things of this nature, which are easily correctable, would not have to happen. Apparently there was no other traffic close to my position as I was not notified. From now on, I will never assume that the FAA or ATC will correct or make suggestions to a pilot to make our system better or safer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECHCRAFT PLT FLIES WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT.

Narrative: PAX ARRIVED 3 HRS EARLY AT BTR, LA. I HAD NOT FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. I DECIDED TO DEPART FOR SHV ON A VFR FLT PLAN WITH FLT FOLLOWING. THE GND CTLR AT BTR ASKED FOR CONFIRMATION OF REQUESTED ALT OF 17500 FT, WHICH I DID. THE WX WAS ABSOLUTELY CAVU. APPROX 75 DME S OF EMG VOR, ZHU WANTED TO KNOW IF I WOULD BE STARTING MY DSCNT SOON, AS I WAS AT THE WRONG ALT FOR MY DIRECTION OF FLT. THIS IS WHERE I FIRST REALIZED MY ERROR. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 16500 FT AND WAS HANDED OVER TO ZFW. I REALLY THINK THAT MOST OF THE PROB WAS THAT I ALWAYS FILE IFR, REGARDLESS OF THE WX. I GOT INTO A HURRY AND JUST DID NOT STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE CORRECT ALTS FOR A FLT NWBOUND. ADDITIONALLY, THE GND CTLR AND ZHU CTLR COULD HAVE ALERTED ME EARLIER. OF COURSE, I KNOW THE FAA IS TRYING TO PLACE ALL RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PIC, AND ACCEPT NONE ON THEIR PART. I THINK THAT WE ALL WILL MAKE MISTAKES FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT IF WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER, THINGS OF THIS NATURE, WHICH ARE EASILY CORRECTABLE, WOULD NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN. APPARENTLY THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC CLOSE TO MY POS AS I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. FROM NOW ON, I WILL NEVER ASSUME THAT THE FAA OR ATC WILL CORRECT OR MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO A PLT TO MAKE OUR SYS BETTER OR SAFER.

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.