C182 pilot had an altitude overshoot in IMC, in B90 class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	512400
Time
Date	200105
Day	Tue
Place
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ral.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	512400
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC issued direct hfd and climb to 7000 ft. Aircraft on autoplt. Approaching 7000 ft, slowed climb from 500 FPM to 200 FPM. At 7000 ft, switched from autoplt commanded climb to altitude hold. Autoplt did not hold 7000 ft, but continued to climb. At 7200 ft, advised ATC that we had an autoplt failure and would be exceeding 7000 ft for a while. Disconnected autoplt and leveled aircraft at 7400 ft. Stabilized aircraft before initiating descent to 7000 ft. ATC notified us we were still at 7400 ft. Told them we were beginning descent. This is second pitch failure of autoplt. First pitch failure was pitch servo causing pitch trim to run full up trim in VMC conditions. This failure seems different but because of previous experience, we were mainly trying to stabilize the aircraft before initiating the descent to the assigned altitude in IMC. I did tell ATC that we were having an autoplt problem. However, I did not specifically advise them of the failure requiring us to turn off the autoplt. Because the autoplt continued to sound an alarm, we pulled the autoplt circuit breaker.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAD AN ALT OVERSHOOT IN IMC, IN B90 CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ATC ISSUED DIRECT HFD AND CLB TO 7000 FT. ACFT ON AUTOPLT. APCHING 7000 FT, SLOWED CLB FROM 500 FPM TO 200 FPM. AT 7000 FT, SWITCHED FROM AUTOPLT COMMANDED CLB TO ALT HOLD. AUTOPLT DID NOT HOLD 7000 FT, BUT CONTINUED TO CLB. AT 7200 FT, ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD AN AUTOPLT FAILURE AND WOULD BE EXCEEDING 7000 FT FOR A WHILE. DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND LEVELED ACFT AT 7400 FT. STABILIZED ACFT BEFORE INITIATING DSCNT TO 7000 FT. ATC NOTIFIED US WE WERE STILL AT 7400 FT. TOLD THEM WE WERE BEGINNING DSCNT. THIS IS SECOND PITCH FAILURE OF AUTOPLT. FIRST PITCH FAILURE WAS PITCH SERVO CAUSING PITCH TRIM TO RUN FULL UP TRIM IN VMC CONDITIONS. THIS FAILURE SEEMS DIFFERENT BUT BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, WE WERE MAINLY TRYING TO STABILIZE THE ACFT BEFORE INITIATING THE DSCNT TO THE ASSIGNED ALT IN IMC. I DID TELL ATC THAT WE WERE HAVING AN AUTOPLT PROB. HOWEVER, I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY ADVISE THEM OF THE FAILURE REQUIRING US TO TURN OFF THE AUTOPLT. BECAUSE THE AUTOPLT CONTINUED TO SOUND AN ALARM, WE PULLED THE AUTOPLT CIRCUIT BREAKER.

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.