BE55 pilot had altitude deviation in mtc class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	482040
Time
Date	200008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phn.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mvy.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 2990 flight time type : 1261
ASRS Report	482040
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Picked up IFR clearance in the air from selfridge approach. Aircraft is slash/a no RNAV. Given clearance 'navigation to scorr.' while figuring my situation and how I was going to comply and find scorr intersection (head down looking at chart), inadvertently busted 3000 ft altitude limit. No conflicts and caught my own error almost right away. Got up to about 3500 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT HAD ALTDEV IN MTC CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: PICKED UP IFR CLRNC IN THE AIR FROM SELFRIDGE APCH. ACFT IS SLASH/A NO RNAV. GIVEN CLRNC 'NAV TO SCORR.' WHILE FIGURING MY SIT AND HOW I WAS GOING TO COMPLY AND FIND SCORR INTXN (HEAD DOWN LOOKING AT CHART), INADVERTENTLY BUSTED 3000 FT ALT LIMIT. NO CONFLICTS AND CAUGHT MY OWN ERROR ALMOST RIGHT AWAY. GOT UP TO ABOUT 3500 FT.

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.