Narrative:

In the cruise phase of flight at FL270 during mentoring of a rated EA500S pilot; multiple avionics malfunctions occurred causing the aircraft to momentarily pitch up and climb 300 ft in positive control area. At XA00Z we experienced a GPS 2 fail. At XA34Z we observed an airspeed disagreement; and at XA43 we no longer had an autoplt; which resulted in a deviation of 300 ft in positive control area. We were busy sorting out the autoplt failures and as soon as we noticed the deviation we corrected. This airplane is an already busy workload when everything works; but it is an especially difficult single pilot airplane when things go wrong. This was a brand new airplane with only 10 hours total time airframe; with a history of avionics problems earlier in the day. We were cleared by eclipse maintenance to fly after clearing the 'avionics data bus fail' message by shutting down and restarting (known as 'control-altitude-del'). Eclipse indicated this was a 'nuisance' message. Historically; ATC would bring something of this nature to the pilot's attention and he would correct with no further action. The FAA is now mandating controllers escalate every deviation to the FAA for dispensation. This places an undue additional workload on the controller; forcing them under duress to be 'cops in the sky.' it also creates tension between the pilot; controller; and FAA which in my observation is counterproductive to safety. In my humble opinion; education is a far better tool than being punitive.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ECLIPSE 500 WITH 10 TOTAL AIRFRAME HRS HAD THE GPS AND AUTOPLT FAIL AT FL270. A PLT DEV WAS FILED WHEN THE DISTRACTED PILOT ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CLB 300 FT.

Narrative: IN THE CRUISE PHASE OF FLT AT FL270 DURING MENTORING OF A RATED EA500S PLT; MULTIPLE AVIONICS MALFUNCTIONS OCCURRED CAUSING THE ACFT TO MOMENTARILY PITCH UP AND CLB 300 FT IN PCA. AT XA00Z WE EXPERIENCED A GPS 2 FAIL. AT XA34Z WE OBSERVED AN AIRSPD DISAGREEMENT; AND AT XA43 WE NO LONGER HAD AN AUTOPLT; WHICH RESULTED IN A DEV OF 300 FT IN PCA. WE WERE BUSY SORTING OUT THE AUTOPLT FAILURES AND AS SOON AS WE NOTICED THE DEV WE CORRECTED. THIS AIRPLANE IS AN ALREADY BUSY WORKLOAD WHEN EVERYTHING WORKS; BUT IT IS AN ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT SINGLE PLT AIRPLANE WHEN THINGS GO WRONG. THIS WAS A BRAND NEW AIRPLANE WITH ONLY 10 HRS TOTAL TIME AIRFRAME; WITH A HISTORY OF AVIONICS PROBS EARLIER IN THE DAY. WE WERE CLRED BY ECLIPSE MAINT TO FLY AFTER CLRING THE 'AVIONICS DATA BUS FAIL' MESSAGE BY SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING (KNOWN AS 'CTL-ALT-DEL'). ECLIPSE INDICATED THIS WAS A 'NUISANCE' MESSAGE. HISTORICALLY; ATC WOULD BRING SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE TO THE PLT'S ATTN AND HE WOULD CORRECT WITH NO FURTHER ACTION. THE FAA IS NOW MANDATING CTLRS ESCALATE EVERY DEV TO THE FAA FOR DISPENSATION. THIS PLACES AN UNDUE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD ON THE CTLR; FORCING THEM UNDER DURESS TO BE 'COPS IN THE SKY.' IT ALSO CREATES TENSION BTWN THE PLT; CTLR; AND FAA WHICH IN MY OBSERVATION IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO SAFETY. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION; EDUCATION IS A FAR BETTER TOOL THAN BEING PUNITIVE.

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.