Narrative:

I was cleared by the omn tower to 'depart runway 17; make a climbing right turn to 290 degrees; and climb and maintain 2000 ft.' I acknowledged and after climbing through 500 ft; I turned to 290 degrees. I was then advised to contact dab departure. I switched to their frequency and checked in; advising that I was 'climbing through 1200 ft for 2000 ft; 290 assigned.' the controller advised 'radar contact' and to 'turn on-course.' I started a right turn to my desired heading of 345 degrees and continued to climb. Shortly thereafter; I saw a C172/C182 above me at my 1 O'clock position that was heading west across my path. Then; the dab controller came on the frequency and asked for my altitude. I glanced down and saw that I was climbing through 2500 ft. I immediately pushed the nose down while advising '2500 ft and correcting.' the controller called out the traffic and I confirmed that I had it in sight. He also gave me a telephone number to call once I landed at my destination. I continued to springfield; oh; feeling like a criminal. I knew that I had busted my altitude because I had allowed myself to become distraction by the 2 passenger on board. I know better and generally try to avoid questions or discussions of any kind during the departure and arrival phases. However; on this day; the WX conditions were good VFR and I was not as focused to avoid distraction as I am when departing under MVFR or IFR conditions. To avoid this in the future; I am going to advise my passenger prior to takeoff that I am going to be very busy for the next 5-10 mins and to please not interrupt my concentration. By discussing this in advance; I hope that they will have a better understanding and respect my need to remain focused. Upon arrival at springfield; I called back and talked to the watch commanded at dab. After admitting that I was the knucklehead who had violated their airspace; I apologized. We had a good conversation and he stressed the importance of maintaining an assigned altitude. He was glad to hear that I understood the importance and that I was genuinely sorry. He said that they were not going to write up a violation since proper separation had been maintained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTR BY PAX CONVERSATIONS; PA27 PLT CLBS THROUGH CLRED ALT ON DEP FROM OMN.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED BY THE OMN TWR TO 'DEPART RWY 17; MAKE A CLBING R TURN TO 290 DEGS; AND CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT.' I ACKNOWLEDGED AND AFTER CLBING THROUGH 500 FT; I TURNED TO 290 DEGS. I WAS THEN ADVISED TO CONTACT DAB DEP. I SWITCHED TO THEIR FREQ AND CHKED IN; ADVISING THAT I WAS 'CLBING THROUGH 1200 FT FOR 2000 FT; 290 ASSIGNED.' THE CTLR ADVISED 'RADAR CONTACT' AND TO 'TURN ON-COURSE.' I STARTED A R TURN TO MY DESIRED HDG OF 345 DEGS AND CONTINUED TO CLB. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; I SAW A C172/C182 ABOVE ME AT MY 1 O'CLOCK POS THAT WAS HEADING W ACROSS MY PATH. THEN; THE DAB CTLR CAME ON THE FREQ AND ASKED FOR MY ALT. I GLANCED DOWN AND SAW THAT I WAS CLBING THROUGH 2500 FT. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN WHILE ADVISING '2500 FT AND CORRECTING.' THE CTLR CALLED OUT THE TFC AND I CONFIRMED THAT I HAD IT IN SIGHT. HE ALSO GAVE ME A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CALL ONCE I LANDED AT MY DEST. I CONTINUED TO SPRINGFIELD; OH; FEELING LIKE A CRIMINAL. I KNEW THAT I HAD BUSTED MY ALT BECAUSE I HAD ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTR BY THE 2 PAX ON BOARD. I KNOW BETTER AND GENERALLY TRY TO AVOID QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS OF ANY KIND DURING THE DEP AND ARR PHASES. HOWEVER; ON THIS DAY; THE WX CONDITIONS WERE GOOD VFR AND I WAS NOT AS FOCUSED TO AVOID DISTR AS I AM WHEN DEPARTING UNDER MVFR OR IFR CONDITIONS. TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE; I AM GOING TO ADVISE MY PAX PRIOR TO TKOF THAT I AM GOING TO BE VERY BUSY FOR THE NEXT 5-10 MINS AND TO PLEASE NOT INTERRUPT MY CONCENTRATION. BY DISCUSSING THIS IN ADVANCE; I HOPE THAT THEY WILL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT MY NEED TO REMAIN FOCUSED. UPON ARR AT SPRINGFIELD; I CALLED BACK AND TALKED TO THE WATCH COMMANDED AT DAB. AFTER ADMITTING THAT I WAS THE KNUCKLEHEAD WHO HAD VIOLATED THEIR AIRSPACE; I APOLOGIZED. WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION AND HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING AN ASSIGNED ALT. HE WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE AND THAT I WAS GENUINELY SORRY. HE SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO WRITE UP A VIOLATION SINCE PROPER SEPARATION HAD BEEN MAINTAINED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.