BE35 pilot had altitude excursion in shv class C airspace.

Attributes
ACN	497500
Time
Date	200101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : shv.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : shv.tracon tower : isp.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 620 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	497500
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had just taken off from shv for the return trip to baton rouge. This was an airplane I have a limited amount of time in. We had leveled off at 5000 ft and were on an IFR flight plan. There is no autoplt on this airplane. I thought I had all the power set and the trim set to keep us level, but apparently I didn't, as we climbed to 5500 ft. While I took the time out to troubleshoot a heater problem we were having, I noticed the discrepancy in the altitude. Just a fraction of a second before, the controller called me to verify my altitude. I confirmed we were at 5500 ft and that my requested altitude was 5000 ft. He asked me to go back to 5000 ft, which I did. Once I got down to 5000 ft, I called the controller back and jokingly said, 'I guess I had a VFR flashback!' he said that I had gotten his curiosity up and was wondering what I was up to. A few mins later I was handed off to polk control. This problem arose because I was distraction trying to fix a heater problem with an airplane that I haven't flown in the cold WX before. I took my focus off my instruments longer than I should have. As I troubleshot my problem, I should have monitored my altitude better, but since I thought I had my power and trim set for level flight, I let my attentiveness lapse from flying the airplane. A contributing factor was the dim light in the airplane which made the troubleshooting of the heater more difficult.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT HAD ALT EXCURSION IN SHV CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM SHV FOR THE RETURN TRIP TO BATON ROUGE. THIS WAS AN AIRPLANE I HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME IN. WE HAD LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT AND WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. THERE IS NO AUTOPLT ON THIS AIRPLANE. I THOUGHT I HAD ALL THE PWR SET AND THE TRIM SET TO KEEP US LEVEL, BUT APPARENTLY I DIDN'T, AS WE CLBED TO 5500 FT. WHILE I TOOK THE TIME OUT TO TROUBLESHOOT A HEATER PROB WE WERE HAVING, I NOTICED THE DISCREPANCY IN THE ALT. JUST A FRACTION OF A SECOND BEFORE, THE CTLR CALLED ME TO VERIFY MY ALT. I CONFIRMED WE WERE AT 5500 FT AND THAT MY REQUESTED ALT WAS 5000 FT. HE ASKED ME TO GO BACK TO 5000 FT, WHICH I DID. ONCE I GOT DOWN TO 5000 FT, I CALLED THE CTLR BACK AND JOKINGLY SAID, 'I GUESS I HAD A VFR FLASHBACK!' HE SAID THAT I HAD GOTTEN HIS CURIOSITY UP AND WAS WONDERING WHAT I WAS UP TO. A FEW MINS LATER I WAS HANDED OFF TO POLK CTL. THIS PROB AROSE BECAUSE I WAS DISTR TRYING TO FIX A HEATER PROB WITH AN AIRPLANE THAT I HAVEN'T FLOWN IN THE COLD WX BEFORE. I TOOK MY FOCUS OFF MY INSTS LONGER THAN I SHOULD HAVE. AS I TROUBLESHOT MY PROB, I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED MY ALT BETTER, BUT SINCE I THOUGHT I HAD MY PWR AND TRIM SET FOR LEVEL FLT, I LET MY ATTENTIVENESS LAPSE FROM FLYING THE AIRPLANE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE DIM LIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE WHICH MADE THE TROUBLESHOOTING OF THE HEATER MORE DIFFICULT.

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.