BE35 pilot had altitude overshoot in T75 class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	486720
Time
Date	200009
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : csx.vor
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure sid : cards 6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 14985 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	486720
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather 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	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This is a narrative report of the above incident involving my BE35 aircraft during a vectored departure climb to join the CARDS6.stl SID en route to 5y1. I am a 15000 hour ATP, former lear captain and former cfii. I should know better. The departure climb from spirit airport to 2500 ft MSL was initially made in mixed IMC and VMC in layers. Thereafter, and during the first 45 mins of cruise, conditions were solid IMC with chop. As I switched from tower to departure control, it occurred to me that I had not hand-flown an IMC departure in quite a long time -- even though I had executed a fair number of hand-flown approachs in each preceding yr. So, I left the autoplt disengaged and continued hand flying the departure procedure. I was immediately impressed by how much more difficult hand flying the departure was than flying an approach -- probably because in the departure you must instantly readopt a good scan pattern, whereas in preparing to shoot an approach you have time to more gradually reacquire your scan technique. Then I was cleared to climb to and maintain 4000 ft. My mistake was, rather than re-engaging the autoplt, in my frustration I became determined to focus on stabilizing the aircraft in climb as I resurrected my scan habit, only as I neared 5000 ft did I realize I had 'busted' my altitude in the stl class B airspace. I promptly nose over, cut power, and dived back down to 4000 ft. Just as I 'leveled' there, I was handed off to the next controller. Neither controller mentioned my violation to me. However, 2 lessons remain: use every means available to operate the aircraft with accuracy and precision (including engaging the autoplt if you find your scan has temporarily failed you), and do not let a false sense of pride tempt you to fixate on chasing some 'challenge' at the risk of losing your grasp of the 'big picture.' also, I obviously need more frequent practice in hand flying departures in both actual and simulated IMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT HAD ALT OVERSHOOT IN T75 CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THIS IS A NARRATIVE RPT OF THE ABOVE INCIDENT INVOLVING MY BE35 ACFT DURING A VECTORED DEP CLB TO JOIN THE CARDS6.STL SID ENRTE TO 5Y1. I AM A 15000 HR ATP, FORMER LEAR CAPT AND FORMER CFII. I SHOULD KNOW BETTER. THE DEP CLB FROM SPIRIT ARPT TO 2500 FT MSL WAS INITIALLY MADE IN MIXED IMC AND VMC IN LAYERS. THEREAFTER, AND DURING THE FIRST 45 MINS OF CRUISE, CONDITIONS WERE SOLID IMC WITH CHOP. AS I SWITCHED FROM TWR TO DEP CTL, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I HAD NOT HAND-FLOWN AN IMC DEP IN QUITE A LONG TIME -- EVEN THOUGH I HAD EXECUTED A FAIR NUMBER OF HAND-FLOWN APCHS IN EACH PRECEDING YR. SO, I LEFT THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED AND CONTINUED HAND FLYING THE DEP PROC. I WAS IMMEDIATELY IMPRESSED BY HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT HAND FLYING THE DEP WAS THAN FLYING AN APCH -- PROBABLY BECAUSE IN THE DEP YOU MUST INSTANTLY READOPT A GOOD SCAN PATTERN, WHEREAS IN PREPARING TO SHOOT AN APCH YOU HAVE TIME TO MORE GRADUALLY REACQUIRE YOUR SCAN TECHNIQUE. THEN I WAS CLRED TO CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. MY MISTAKE WAS, RATHER THAN RE-ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT, IN MY FRUSTRATION I BECAME DETERMINED TO FOCUS ON STABILIZING THE ACFT IN CLB AS I RESURRECTED MY SCAN HABIT, ONLY AS I NEARED 5000 FT DID I REALIZE I HAD 'BUSTED' MY ALT IN THE STL CLASS B AIRSPACE. I PROMPTLY NOSE OVER, CUT PWR, AND DIVED BACK DOWN TO 4000 FT. JUST AS I 'LEVELED' THERE, I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. NEITHER CTLR MENTIONED MY VIOLATION TO ME. HOWEVER, 2 LESSONS REMAIN: USE EVERY MEANS AVAILABLE TO OPERATE THE ACFT WITH ACCURACY AND PRECISION (INCLUDING ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT IF YOU FIND YOUR SCAN HAS TEMPORARILY FAILED YOU), AND DO NOT LET A FALSE SENSE OF PRIDE TEMPT YOU TO FIXATE ON CHASING SOME 'CHALLENGE' AT THE RISK OF LOSING YOUR GRASP OF THE 'BIG PICTURE.' ALSO, I OBVIOUSLY NEED MORE FREQUENT PRACTICE IN HAND FLYING DEPS IN BOTH ACTUAL AND SIMULATED IMC.

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.