Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan in IMC conditions on a runway 24 GPS approach to the gallup, NM airport. An aircraft preceding me on the approach missed, and I was cleared for the approach. The preceding aircraft indicated that they had intermittent ground contact in fog and blowing snow on the approach. Conditions were reported as 3/4 mi visibility, 700 ft ceiling. I then elected to fly the approach and was cleared for the approach by ZAB with instructions to report down-time to the preceding aircraft or missed to ZAB. After completing the approach, I too missed and began to fly the published missed procedure left turn and climb to 8500 ft. At this time, I was sequencing my GPS (a KLN90B) to the missed point for holding, when 1 of my 2 passenger came into the cockpit to ask what was going on. I asked him to return to his seat, attempted repeatedly to contact ZAB and enter the holding pattern, all while trying to keep IAS above the minimum in icing conditions. In the process I climbed through the missed approach required altitude of 8500 ft. I corrected back down to 8500 ft, when I finally made contact with ZAB. Abq gave me a 110 degree heading, 11000 ft which I read back as such. Later abq informed me that they only cleared me to 10000 ft. A second successful approach was conducted. The primary factors contributing to the altitude deviation were a very high workload in poor conditions and a passenger distraction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT TWIN TURBOPROP IN SINGLE PLT IMC IFR OP EXPERIENCES ALT OVERSHOOT IN CLB ON MISSED APCH FROM GUP.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN IMC CONDITIONS ON A RWY 24 GPS APCH TO THE GALLUP, NM ARPT. AN ACFT PRECEDING ME ON THE APCH MISSED, AND I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE PRECEDING ACFT INDICATED THAT THEY HAD INTERMITTENT GND CONTACT IN FOG AND BLOWING SNOW ON THE APCH. CONDITIONS WERE RPTED AS 3/4 MI VISIBILITY, 700 FT CEILING. I THEN ELECTED TO FLY THE APCH AND WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH BY ZAB WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO RPT DOWN-TIME TO THE PRECEDING ACFT OR MISSED TO ZAB. AFTER COMPLETING THE APCH, I TOO MISSED AND BEGAN TO FLY THE PUBLISHED MISSED PROC L TURN AND CLB TO 8500 FT. AT THIS TIME, I WAS SEQUENCING MY GPS (A KLN90B) TO THE MISSED POINT FOR HOLDING, WHEN 1 OF MY 2 PAX CAME INTO THE COCKPIT TO ASK WHAT WAS GOING ON. I ASKED HIM TO RETURN TO HIS SEAT, ATTEMPTED REPEATEDLY TO CONTACT ZAB AND ENTER THE HOLDING PATTERN, ALL WHILE TRYING TO KEEP IAS ABOVE THE MINIMUM IN ICING CONDITIONS. IN THE PROCESS I CLBED THROUGH THE MISSED APCH REQUIRED ALT OF 8500 FT. I CORRECTED BACK DOWN TO 8500 FT, WHEN I FINALLY MADE CONTACT WITH ZAB. ABQ GAVE ME A 110 DEG HDG, 11000 FT WHICH I READ BACK AS SUCH. LATER ABQ INFORMED ME THAT THEY ONLY CLRED ME TO 10000 FT. A SECOND SUCCESSFUL APCH WAS CONDUCTED. THE PRIMARY FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ALTDEV WERE A VERY HIGH WORKLOAD IN POOR CONDITIONS AND A PAX DISTR.

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.