<< >> NASA ASRS Report 516675, July 2001

Small aircraft GA pilot becomes visually distraction with other same altitude traffic and climbs above assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	516675
Time
Date	200107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ckb.airport
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ckb.tracon tracon : tpa.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
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 : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 495
ASRS Report	516675
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At takeoff, I was cleared to 6000 ft. At about 2000 ft, my clearance altitude was changed to 4000 ft. I acknowledged this. As I climbed, I noted a converging aircraft at about 5 mi or so. As I approached 4000 ft it appeared to be about at my altitude. I 'locked' onto it and climbed through 4000 ft. As I passed 5000 ft the controller called me and I recognized what had occurred, and started down. He advised me of the other traffic at 4000 ft and I said I had seen it. He then cleared me to maintain 5000 ft. The controller did not do anything wrong. However, the presence of a converging aircraft at the altitude I had been cleared to that I had not been told about caused me to concentrate on observing that aircraft and miss my altitude assignment. I believe that if I had been told of a converging aircraft at my assigned altitude sooner, I would have concentrated on both the other aircraft and my assigned altitude, instead of ignoring the latter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA GA PLT BECOMES VISUALLY DISTR WITH OTHER SAME ALT TFC AND CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: AT TKOF, I WAS CLRED TO 6000 FT. AT ABOUT 2000 FT, MY CLRNC ALT WAS CHANGED TO 4000 FT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THIS. AS I CLBED, I NOTED A CONVERGING ACFT AT ABOUT 5 MI OR SO. AS I APCHED 4000 FT IT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT AT MY ALT. I 'LOCKED' ONTO IT AND CLBED THROUGH 4000 FT. AS I PASSED 5000 FT THE CTLR CALLED ME AND I RECOGNIZED WHAT HAD OCCURRED, AND STARTED DOWN. HE ADVISED ME OF THE OTHER TFC AT 4000 FT AND I SAID I HAD SEEN IT. HE THEN CLRED ME TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT. THE CTLR DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG. HOWEVER, THE PRESENCE OF A CONVERGING ACFT AT THE ALT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO THAT I HAD NOT BEEN TOLD ABOUT CAUSED ME TO CONCENTRATE ON OBSERVING THAT ACFT AND MISS MY ALT ASSIGNMENT. I BELIEVE THAT IF I HAD BEEN TOLD OF A CONVERGING ACFT AT MY ASSIGNED ALT SOONER, I WOULD HAVE CONCENTRATED ON BOTH THE OTHER ACFT AND MY ASSIGNED ALT, INSTEAD OF IGNORING THE LATTER.

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.