A PA28-180 pilot, on an IFR flight plan, made heading and altitude deviation when in ZDC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	587099
Time
Date	200307
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mrb.vortac
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	587099
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from hfy greenwood, in, to gaithersburg, md (gai). We were in and out of IMC for the last 50 mi or so. I had been with ZID for some time and had been receiving them, but had not been handed off as yet. I tried several times to reach ZID but was unable. I then pulled the nearest center frequency on the GPS which was ZDC. I told them I had not been handed off by ZID. My clearance was direct to gai. ZDC then amended my clearance direct to martinsburg, then fredrick, then gai. I was attempting to find the identifier and frequency for martinsburg. While looking at the chart, I allowed my altitude to drop 300 ft and was told by the controller he was showing me 300 ft low. I corrected altitude. I input, incorrectly, martinsville, va, instead of martinsburg, wv. I turned to an incorrect heading of 231 degrees and realized this was incorrect. I then called center and asked for vectors to martinsburg, wv, until I could get properly set up. At this time, I was still mixed IMC. The problem was due to my not having both en route charts L24 and L22 out. I was operating from L22 when the clearance was changed. I was then unable to locate the L24 chart and maintain altitude. After I was told then, and corrected the altitude deviation, I allowed myself to become rattled when I should have asked immediately for vectors to martinsburg and asked the controller to stand by while I was getting set up. Contributing factors were the visibility, the concern with the handoff from indy to ZDC and my concern with flying into the ADIZ area which gai lays in. The controller was very patient, giving what I needed to correct the situation. My limited IFR experience in the airspace around washington dc area is also a contributing factor. The incident could have been avoided with better cockpit resource management on my part. We had no problem on the return trip from gai back to hfy, keeping all necessary charts readily available.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28-180 PLT, ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, MADE HEADING AND ALTDEV WHEN IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM HFY GREENWOOD, IN, TO GAITHERSBURG, MD (GAI). WE WERE IN AND OUT OF IMC FOR THE LAST 50 MI OR SO. I HAD BEEN WITH ZID FOR SOME TIME AND HAD BEEN RECEIVING THEM, BUT HAD NOT BEEN HANDED OFF AS YET. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO REACH ZID BUT WAS UNABLE. I THEN PULLED THE NEAREST CTR FREQ ON THE GPS WHICH WAS ZDC. I TOLD THEM I HAD NOT BEEN HANDED OFF BY ZID. MY CLRNC WAS DIRECT TO GAI. ZDC THEN AMENDED MY CLRNC DIRECT TO MARTINSBURG, THEN FREDRICK, THEN GAI. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE IDENTIFIER AND FREQ FOR MARTINSBURG. WHILE LOOKING AT THE CHART, I ALLOWED MY ALT TO DROP 300 FT AND WAS TOLD BY THE CTLR HE WAS SHOWING ME 300 FT LOW. I CORRECTED ALT. I INPUT, INCORRECTLY, MARTINSVILLE, VA, INSTEAD OF MARTINSBURG, WV. I TURNED TO AN INCORRECT HEADING OF 231 DEGS AND REALIZED THIS WAS INCORRECT. I THEN CALLED CTR AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO MARTINSBURG, WV, UNTIL I COULD GET PROPERLY SET UP. AT THIS TIME, I WAS STILL MIXED IMC. THE PROB WAS DUE TO MY NOT HAVING BOTH ENRTE CHARTS L24 AND L22 OUT. I WAS OPERATING FROM L22 WHEN THE CLRNC WAS CHANGED. I WAS THEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE L24 CHART AND MAINTAIN ALT. AFTER I WAS TOLD THEN, AND CORRECTED THE ALTDEV, I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME RATTLED WHEN I SHOULD HAVE ASKED IMMEDIATELY FOR VECTORS TO MARTINSBURG AND ASKED THE CTLR TO STAND BY WHILE I WAS GETTING SET UP. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE VISIBILITY, THE CONCERN WITH THE HDOF FROM INDY TO ZDC AND MY CONCERN WITH FLYING INTO THE ADIZ AREA WHICH GAI LAYS IN. THE CTLR WAS VERY PATIENT, GIVING WHAT I NEEDED TO CORRECT THE SIT. MY LIMITED IFR EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRSPACE AROUND WASHINGTON DC AREA IS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH BETTER COCKPIT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON MY PART. WE HAD NO PROB ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM GAI BACK TO HFY, KEEPING ALL NECESSARY CHARTS READILY AVAILABLE.

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.