Narrative:

Like all incidents, a series of circumstances led to a situation that, under different circumstances, could have been potentially dangerous. This particular incident was not dangerous because it did not occur in close proximity of other aircraft or terrestrial obstacles and I maintained control of the aircraft at all times. Departing teb IFR, new york departure control amended my clearance to intercept the colts neck 350 degree radial. Partly because of the distractions of IMC conditions and turbulence, I mistakenly entered '350' rather than '170' into my EFIS's HSI. As a result, I turned right rather than left. The controller caught my error and directed a correct turn. While I was simultaneously turning and reprogramming my EFIS, we encountered a downdraft that was so strong that it disengaged the autoplt. As a result, the plane lost altitude and the aircraft descended below my assigned altitude of 5000 ft. Reflecting on these series of events, I feel that single pilot operators should develop a procedure for using their EFIS in its simplest, most intuitive mode and/or back it up using less complex navigation system. At the time of this incident, I had my initial clearance's first GPS waypoint (white intersection) and the colts neck VOR programmed and simultaneously displayed. In the future, rather than having multiple overlays programmed into my EFIS's HSI, I will program only one. Also, I will set my copilot HSI (which is analog) to the primary navigation fix. Although EFIS system are wonderful, their ability to display vast amounts of information and their slower, more complex and often distracting programming requirements can create problems particularly in single pilot, high workload, IMC and unfamiliar environments. Therefore, I would suggest that pilots be trained on how to use this equipment in its simplest way. Having attended regularly for 8 yrs, I do not recall ever being trained on the simple use of sophisticated equipment. The focus always seems to be on its most complex use.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE90 PLT HAD ALT AND TRACK DEV WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPROGRAM THE ACFT FMC IN IMC TURBULENT CONDITIONS IN N90 CLASS B.

Narrative: LIKE ALL INCIDENTS, A SERIES OF CIRCUMSTANCES LED TO A SIT THAT, UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT WAS NOT DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT DID NOT OCCUR IN CLOSE PROX OF OTHER ACFT OR TERRESTRIAL OBSTACLES AND I MAINTAINED CTL OF THE ACFT AT ALL TIMES. DEPARTING TEB IFR, NEW YORK DEP CTL AMENDED MY CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE COLTS NECK 350 DEG RADIAL. PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE DISTRACTIONS OF IMC CONDITIONS AND TURB, I MISTAKENLY ENTERED '350' RATHER THAN '170' INTO MY EFIS'S HSI. AS A RESULT, I TURNED R RATHER THAN L. THE CTLR CAUGHT MY ERROR AND DIRECTED A CORRECT TURN. WHILE I WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY TURNING AND REPROGRAMMING MY EFIS, WE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT THAT WAS SO STRONG THAT IT DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. AS A RESULT, THE PLANE LOST ALT AND THE ACFT DSNDED BELOW MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT. REFLECTING ON THESE SERIES OF EVENTS, I FEEL THAT SINGLE PLT OPERATORS SHOULD DEVELOP A PROC FOR USING THEIR EFIS IN ITS SIMPLEST, MOST INTUITIVE MODE AND/OR BACK IT UP USING LESS COMPLEX NAV SYS. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT, I HAD MY INITIAL CLRNC'S FIRST GPS WAYPOINT (WHITE INTXN) AND THE COLTS NECK VOR PROGRAMMED AND SIMULTANEOUSLY DISPLAYED. IN THE FUTURE, RATHER THAN HAVING MULTIPLE OVERLAYS PROGRAMMED INTO MY EFIS'S HSI, I WILL PROGRAM ONLY ONE. ALSO, I WILL SET MY COPLT HSI (WHICH IS ANALOG) TO THE PRIMARY NAV FIX. ALTHOUGH EFIS SYS ARE WONDERFUL, THEIR ABILITY TO DISPLAY VAST AMOUNTS OF INFO AND THEIR SLOWER, MORE COMPLEX AND OFTEN DISTRACTING PROGRAMMING REQUIREMENTS CAN CREATE PROBS PARTICULARLY IN SINGLE PLT, HIGH WORKLOAD, IMC AND UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENTS. THEREFORE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT PLTS BE TRAINED ON HOW TO USE THIS EQUIP IN ITS SIMPLEST WAY. HAVING ATTENDED REGULARLY FOR 8 YRS, I DO NOT RECALL EVER BEING TRAINED ON THE SIMPLE USE OF SOPHISTICATED EQUIP. THE FOCUS ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE ON ITS MOST COMPLEX USE.

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.