GA small aircraft altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude.

Attributes
ACN	82689
Time
Date	198802
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 450
ASRS Report	82689
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

IFR cross country, cak to uiz, michigan problem of missing xmissions from det approach caused by switching #2 radio for unicom at berz-macomb airport (destination). Inadvertent selection of #2 transmitter was corrected after about 5 mins when #1 transmitter was selected and subsequent contact re-established with det approach. During the time while off frequency, serious windshear and snow showers were encountered causing loss of altitude to 4000' MSL (5000' MSL assigned by ATC). Later while being vectored by ATC, lost altitude to 3000' MSL due to windshear/snow showers. Very difficult to hold altitude in WX conditions. Elected to land at detroit city rather than uiz. Before landing at detroit city, did experience windshear encounter resulting in a descent to 2500' (while assigned 3000' MSL by ATC). Some altitude deviation may have been caused by inattn to altitude while being preoccupied by prospects of airframe icing. Some serious reservations about winter flight into IMC created some stress upon pilot. Flight undertaken upon insistence by male passenger. Most helpful action: never, never initiate a flight which the pilot does not feel adequate to safely complete.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: IFR CROSS COUNTRY, CAK TO UIZ, MICHIGAN PROB OF MISSING XMISSIONS FROM DET APCH CAUSED BY SWITCHING #2 RADIO FOR UNICOM AT BERZ-MACOMB ARPT (DEST). INADVERTENT SELECTION OF #2 XMITTER WAS CORRECTED AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS WHEN #1 XMITTER WAS SELECTED AND SUBSEQUENT CONTACT RE-ESTABLISHED WITH DET APCH. DURING THE TIME WHILE OFF FREQ, SERIOUS WINDSHEAR AND SNOW SHOWERS WERE ENCOUNTERED CAUSING LOSS OF ALT TO 4000' MSL (5000' MSL ASSIGNED BY ATC). LATER WHILE BEING VECTORED BY ATC, LOST ALT TO 3000' MSL DUE TO WINDSHEAR/SNOW SHOWERS. VERY DIFFICULT TO HOLD ALT IN WX CONDITIONS. ELECTED TO LAND AT DETROIT CITY RATHER THAN UIZ. BEFORE LNDG AT DETROIT CITY, DID EXPERIENCE WINDSHEAR ENCOUNTER RESULTING IN A DSCNT TO 2500' (WHILE ASSIGNED 3000' MSL BY ATC). SOME ALT DEVIATION MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY INATTN TO ALT WHILE BEING PREOCCUPIED BY PROSPECTS OF AIRFRAME ICING. SOME SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT WINTER FLT INTO IMC CREATED SOME STRESS UPON PLT. FLT UNDERTAKEN UPON INSISTENCE BY MALE PAX. MOST HELPFUL ACTION: NEVER, NEVER INITIATE A FLT WHICH THE PLT DOES NOT FEEL ADEQUATE TO SAFELY COMPLETE.

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