Altitude deviation while circumnavigating thunderstorm.

Attributes
ACN	88456
Time
Date	198805
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 310 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	88456
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Assigned 6000' by orf approach. They were vectoring me around a line ot thunderstorms. During a 2 min period of moderate turbulence, I was concentrating solely on keeping the wings level. A vertical shaft of air carried me to 7500' in less than 1 min. I believe that trying to out descend this vertical shaft would have been extremely dangerous, and the big sky method of collision avoidance seems safer to me. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: pilot felt maintaining wings level attitude was primary task and returned to assigned altitude as soon as able. Communicated problem to controller. Had a very scared passenger on board.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION WHILE CIRCUMNAVIGATING TSTM.

Narrative: ASSIGNED 6000' BY ORF APCH. THEY WERE VECTORING ME AROUND A LINE OT TSTMS. DURING A 2 MIN PERIOD OF MODERATE TURB, I WAS CONCENTRATING SOLELY ON KEEPING THE WINGS LEVEL. A VERT SHAFT OF AIR CARRIED ME TO 7500' IN LESS THAN 1 MIN. I BELIEVE THAT TRYING TO OUT DSND THIS VERT SHAFT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND THE BIG SKY METHOD OF COLLISION AVOIDANCE SEEMS SAFER TO ME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: PLT FELT MAINTAINING WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE WAS PRIMARY TASK AND RETURNED TO ASSIGNED ALT AS SOON AS ABLE. COMMUNICATED PROB TO CTLR. HAD A VERY SCARED PAX ON BOARD.

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.