Narrative:

When leveling off at the assigned altitude of 7000 ft; I trimmed the plane for level flight and engaged the autoplt altitude hold. I deviated from the assigned altitude by approximately 500 ft up to 7500 ft while my attention was diverted by another flight issue that was a concern for safety of flight. On takeoff; the emergency gear crank had become unlocked and spun as the gear was brought up. A headset cord wrapped around the crank and tore the wires out of the headset; as well as drawing the headset parts into the crank. The gear could not be safely operated while the entangled pieces and wires were wrapped around this handle. I could not see the crank but could only feel it. Unfortunately; due to turbulence; or some other reason; the altitude hold took this opportunity to fail and the altitude deviated while my attention was turned to the more exigent situation. ATC queried this pilot on assigned altitude and he was told that the altitude assigned was 7000 ft and I was correcting immediately and that the autoplt altitude hold kicked off and I didn't catch it. I did not explain the other problem that I was dealing with. Realizing that the altitude hold was not operating properly; I hand flew the aircraft the remainder of the flight and cleared the landing gear handle. I performed timing tests on the gear prior to landing and felt that no damage had taken place other than to the headset. No further deviations of altitude took place. The aircraft was scheduled for autoplt repair for the following week.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE33 PILOT REPORTS ALT DEV WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR HEADSET CORD FROM EMERGENCY GEAR CRANK WHICH BECAME UNLOCKED AND SPUN AS GEAR RETRACTED.

Narrative: WHEN LEVELING OFF AT THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT; I TRIMMED THE PLANE FOR LEVEL FLT AND ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT ALT HOLD. I DEVIATED FROM THE ASSIGNED ALT BY APPROX 500 FT UP TO 7500 FT WHILE MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED BY ANOTHER FLT ISSUE THAT WAS A CONCERN FOR SAFETY OF FLT. ON TKOF; THE EMER GEAR CRANK HAD BECOME UNLOCKED AND SPUN AS THE GEAR WAS BROUGHT UP. A HEADSET CORD WRAPPED AROUND THE CRANK AND TORE THE WIRES OUT OF THE HEADSET; AS WELL AS DRAWING THE HEADSET PARTS INTO THE CRANK. THE GEAR COULD NOT BE SAFELY OPERATED WHILE THE ENTANGLED PIECES AND WIRES WERE WRAPPED AROUND THIS HANDLE. I COULD NOT SEE THE CRANK BUT COULD ONLY FEEL IT. UNFORTUNATELY; DUE TO TURB; OR SOME OTHER REASON; THE ALT HOLD TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FAIL AND THE ALT DEVIATED WHILE MY ATTN WAS TURNED TO THE MORE EXIGENT SITUATION. ATC QUERIED THIS PLT ON ASSIGNED ALT AND HE WAS TOLD THAT THE ALT ASSIGNED WAS 7000 FT AND I WAS CORRECTING IMMEDIATELY AND THAT THE AUTOPLT ALT HOLD KICKED OFF AND I DIDN'T CATCH IT. I DID NOT EXPLAIN THE OTHER PROB THAT I WAS DEALING WITH. REALIZING THAT THE ALT HOLD WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY; I HAND FLEW THE ACFT THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT AND CLRED THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE. I PERFORMED TIMING TESTS ON THE GEAR PRIOR TO LNDG AND FELT THAT NO DAMAGE HAD TAKEN PLACE OTHER THAN TO THE HEADSET. NO FURTHER DEVS OF ALT TOOK PLACE. THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AUTOPLT REPAIR FOR THE FOLLOWING WK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.