Narrative:

I departed uiz en route to akr on an IFR flight plan. I was given a climb to 5000 ft by detroit approach. At 5300 ft I was asked for my altitude, altitude clearance limit and was read the altimeter. I responded '5300,' '5000' and 'correcting.' the WX from the current metar at mtc, appeared to be sufficient to permit me to depart uiz and pick up my clearance airborne. (Unfortunately, there is no clearance delivery frequency at uiz and attempts to reach selfridge approach on the ground were not successful.) I departed but found the ceilings to be lower than expected, even though there were aircraft in the pattern. I called mtc approach for my clearance while circling the airport, trying to remain visual, and looking for other aircraft. Smart-mouth controller at mtc eventually gave it to me. The route given (rv-wings-airway to akr) maximized overwater flight and, for safety reasons, I asked for another route -- denied. While talking to detroit approach I was given a climb to 5000 ft. At 5300 ft I was asked for my altitude, altitude clearance limit and was read the altimeter setting. I responded 5300 ft and 5000 ft and 'correcting.' while part of the reason for the 'bust' was a minor altimeter setting error, the main reason was distraction. Although I had set my 'altitude reminder' (my timer) for '5000 ft,' I did not check it while in IMC, setting radios and heading indicator, juggling charts trying to find wings, etc. What caused my error: a 'bad start' leaving uiz with mtc approach, turbulence, IMC, high workload/single pilot, a routing considered to be ill-advised and 'high hazard' for a single engine aircraft, and no clearance delivery frequency at uiz (so 'issues' could be sorted out on the ground). Clearly, I caused this problem, not ATC. Primary corrective action is better multi-tasking. Secondarily, it would be useful if controllers, particularly those who devise routings and issue clrncs, would be sensitive to certain hazards associated with operating light, single-engine aircraft - for example, if an engine or system failure were to occur and a ditching were likely in the cold water, it is highly likely that death would result. ('Side note:' on a previous trip from that area, I had also filed yqb-sky, which minimizes overwater flight and had been given it.) the dtw controller was prompt, professional and courteous in handling my altitude deviation -- thanks!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT OVERSHOT INITIAL CLBING HOLDING ALT DUE TO SINGLE PLT WORKLOAD IN IMC AND THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: I DEPARTED UIZ ENRTE TO AKR ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I WAS GIVEN A CLB TO 5000 FT BY DETROIT APCH. AT 5300 FT I WAS ASKED FOR MY ALT, ALT CLRNC LIMIT AND WAS READ THE ALTIMETER. I RESPONDED '5300,' '5000' AND 'CORRECTING.' THE WX FROM THE CURRENT METAR AT MTC, APPEARED TO BE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT ME TO DEPART UIZ AND PICK UP MY CLRNC AIRBORNE. (UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO CLRNC DELIVERY FREQ AT UIZ AND ATTEMPTS TO REACH SELFRIDGE APCH ON THE GND WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL.) I DEPARTED BUT FOUND THE CEILINGS TO BE LOWER THAN EXPECTED, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ACFT IN THE PATTERN. I CALLED MTC APCH FOR MY CLRNC WHILE CIRCLING THE ARPT, TRYING TO REMAIN VISUAL, AND LOOKING FOR OTHER ACFT. SMART-MOUTH CTLR AT MTC EVENTUALLY GAVE IT TO ME. THE RTE GIVEN (RV-WINGS-AIRWAY TO AKR) MAXIMIZED OVERWATER FLT AND, FOR SAFETY REASONS, I ASKED FOR ANOTHER RTE -- DENIED. WHILE TALKING TO DETROIT APCH I WAS GIVEN A CLB TO 5000 FT. AT 5300 FT I WAS ASKED FOR MY ALT, ALT CLRNC LIMIT AND WAS READ THE ALTIMETER SETTING. I RESPONDED 5300 FT AND 5000 FT AND 'CORRECTING.' WHILE PART OF THE REASON FOR THE 'BUST' WAS A MINOR ALTIMETER SETTING ERROR, THE MAIN REASON WAS DISTR. ALTHOUGH I HAD SET MY 'ALT REMINDER' (MY TIMER) FOR '5000 FT,' I DID NOT CHK IT WHILE IN IMC, SETTING RADIOS AND HEADING INDICATOR, JUGGLING CHARTS TRYING TO FIND WINGS, ETC. WHAT CAUSED MY ERROR: A 'BAD START' LEAVING UIZ WITH MTC APCH, TURB, IMC, HIGH WORKLOAD/SINGLE PLT, A ROUTING CONSIDERED TO BE ILL-ADVISED AND 'HIGH HAZARD' FOR A SINGLE ENG ACFT, AND NO CLRNC DELIVERY FREQ AT UIZ (SO 'ISSUES' COULD BE SORTED OUT ON THE GND). CLRLY, I CAUSED THIS PROB, NOT ATC. PRIMARY CORRECTIVE ACTION IS BETTER MULTI-TASKING. SECONDARILY, IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF CTLRS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO DEVISE ROUTINGS AND ISSUE CLRNCS, WOULD BE SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATING LIGHT, SINGLE-ENG ACFT - FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN ENG OR SYS FAILURE WERE TO OCCUR AND A DITCHING WERE LIKELY IN THE COLD WATER, IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT DEATH WOULD RESULT. ('SIDE NOTE:' ON A PREVIOUS TRIP FROM THAT AREA, I HAD ALSO FILED YQB-SKY, WHICH MINIMIZES OVERWATER FLT AND HAD BEEN GIVEN IT.) THE DTW CTLR WAS PROMPT, PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS IN HANDLING MY ALTDEV -- THANKS!

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.