Columbia 400 pilot overshoots missed approach altitude by 300 ft while distracted by other aircraft ...

Attributes
ACN	789597
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cvo.vor
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl single value : 3700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eug.tracon
Make Model Name	Lancair Undifferentiated
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	789597
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After I flew a planned missed approach at an uncontrolled airport (class east above 700 ft AGL) we were avoiding numerous aircraft operating below the 2000 ft ceiling. We were also programming our next approach. Both pilots were attempting to program the next destination on the garmin 1000 and to avoid traffic. In the confusion; I had not set the missed approach fix altitude in the FMS. When I contacted approach control with my indicated altitude I noticed we had climbed more than 300 ft above our missed approach fix altitude and were still climbing. Both pilots were using different techniques and schedules to enter data on the different entry devices of the G1000. I was hand-flying the airplane to avoid an aircraft above us; and trying to monitor the data entry across the cockpit. Subsequently; a communication breakdown occurred when one pilot wanted to replay the last clearance and the other thought ATC was calling. This resulted in several confused-sounding xmissions from me. I knew the other pilot was playing back; but he had to go back through several xmissions. In the middle of this I heard 'north-- where do you want to begin the approach?' then 4 or 5 seconds later without an intervening transmission 'north-- where do you want to begin the approach?' since I hadn't heard that query before I thought it was real-time and answered. The other pilot interrupted to tell me it was the recording. I was flustered and mumbled something to ATC. I am still not sure if it was a current transmission. A supervision error on my part. I was supposed to be flying as a single pilot; but the other pilot felt we were behind in setting our flight plan and started making inputs. The other pilot insisted on using the playback option and I was too polite to intervene. A design error in the G1000. The 'playback' mode should never be used. It can only add to confusion. If there is a question about a clearance; ask ATC for a clarification -- use real-time english.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COLUMBIA 400 PLT OVERSHOOTS MISSED APPROACH ALTITUDE BY 300 FT WHILE DISTRACTED BY OTHER AIRCRAFT OCCUPANT; ALSO A PILOT; AND THE GPS FUNCTIONS IN USE.

Narrative: AFTER I FLEW A PLANNED MISSED APCH AT AN UNCTLED ARPT (CLASS E ABOVE 700 FT AGL) WE WERE AVOIDING NUMEROUS ACFT OPERATING BELOW THE 2000 FT CEILING. WE WERE ALSO PROGRAMMING OUR NEXT APCH. BOTH PLTS WERE ATTEMPTING TO PROGRAM THE NEXT DEST ON THE GARMIN 1000 AND TO AVOID TFC. IN THE CONFUSION; I HAD NOT SET THE MISSED APCH FIX ALT IN THE FMS. WHEN I CONTACTED APCH CTL WITH MY INDICATED ALT I NOTICED WE HAD CLBED MORE THAN 300 FT ABOVE OUR MISSED APCH FIX ALT AND WERE STILL CLBING. BOTH PLTS WERE USING DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND SCHEDULES TO ENTER DATA ON THE DIFFERENT ENTRY DEVICES OF THE G1000. I WAS HAND-FLYING THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID AN ACFT ABOVE US; AND TRYING TO MONITOR THE DATA ENTRY ACROSS THE COCKPIT. SUBSEQUENTLY; A COM BREAKDOWN OCCURRED WHEN ONE PLT WANTED TO REPLAY THE LAST CLRNC AND THE OTHER THOUGHT ATC WAS CALLING. THIS RESULTED IN SEVERAL CONFUSED-SOUNDING XMISSIONS FROM ME. I KNEW THE OTHER PLT WAS PLAYING BACK; BUT HE HAD TO GO BACK THROUGH SEVERAL XMISSIONS. IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS I HEARD 'N-- WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BEGIN THE APCH?' THEN 4 OR 5 SECONDS LATER WITHOUT AN INTERVENING XMISSION 'N-- WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BEGIN THE APCH?' SINCE I HADN'T HEARD THAT QUERY BEFORE I THOUGHT IT WAS REAL-TIME AND ANSWERED. THE OTHER PLT INTERRUPTED TO TELL ME IT WAS THE RECORDING. I WAS FLUSTERED AND MUMBLED SOMETHING TO ATC. I AM STILL NOT SURE IF IT WAS A CURRENT XMISSION. A SUPERVISION ERROR ON MY PART. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FLYING AS A SINGLE PLT; BUT THE OTHER PLT FELT WE WERE BEHIND IN SETTING OUR FLT PLAN AND STARTED MAKING INPUTS. THE OTHER PLT INSISTED ON USING THE PLAYBACK OPTION AND I WAS TOO POLITE TO INTERVENE. A DESIGN ERROR IN THE G1000. THE 'PLAYBACK' MODE SHOULD NEVER BE USED. IT CAN ONLY ADD TO CONFUSION. IF THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT A CLRNC; ASK ATC FOR A CLARIFICATION -- USE REAL-TIME ENGLISH.

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.

Columbia 400 pilot overshoots missed approach altitude by 300 ft while distracted by other aircraft occupant; also a pilot; and the GPS functions in use.