A BE58 pilot, distraction by a passenger, overshot his assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	543919
Time
Date	200204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cll.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 920 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	543919
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the aforementioned date I was on a routine flight. We were in the climb about 500 ft below the assigned altitude of 6000 ft when a passenger in the copilot seat started to mess with GPS. I later found out that he was trying to help by entering the flight plan for the instrument approach to the destination into the GPS if we were going to need it. When he was entering the information he accidentally activated the flight plan. The autoplt at the time was following the GPS so the airplane started to do some turning to my surprise. I figured out the problem quickly and started to correct. When I looked up I was 400 ft high. The controller asked how high I was climbing and I responded that I was going to 6000 ft. He responded that he now had me level at 6000 ft, but that his radar showed me as high as 6600 ft. Everything was normal after that. Contribution to the problem was a non pilot trying to help, but doing more harm than good.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE58 PLT, DISTR BY A PAX, OVERSHOT HIS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON THE AFOREMENTIONED DATE I WAS ON A ROUTINE FLT. WE WERE IN THE CLB ABOUT 500 FT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 6000 FT WHEN A PAX IN THE COPLT SEAT STARTED TO MESS WITH GPS. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS TRYING TO HELP BY ENTERING THE FLT PLAN FOR THE INST APCH TO THE DEST INTO THE GPS IF WE WERE GOING TO NEED IT. WHEN HE WAS ENTERING THE INFO HE ACCIDENTALLY ACTIVATED THE FLT PLAN. THE AUTOPLT AT THE TIME WAS FOLLOWING THE GPS SO THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DO SOME TURNING TO MY SURPRISE. I FIGURED OUT THE PROB QUICKLY AND STARTED TO CORRECT. WHEN I LOOKED UP I WAS 400 FT HIGH. THE CTLR ASKED HOW HIGH I WAS CLBING AND I RESPONDED THAT I WAS GOING TO 6000 FT. HE RESPONDED THAT HE NOW HAD ME LEVEL AT 6000 FT, BUT THAT HIS RADAR SHOWED ME AS HIGH AS 6600 FT. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL AFTER THAT. CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROB WAS A NON PLT TRYING TO HELP, BUT DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

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.