Altitude deviation, VFR altitude on IFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	94586
Time
Date	198809
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psb
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 20000
ASRS Report	94586
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During an IFR clearance climb to 17000' in VFR conditions, I forgot to cancel IFR and continued climbing to 17500'. The controller questioned my assigned altitude. He advised I was showing 17600'. Subsequently, I cancelled IFR. At local on ZNY frequency 134.8 encoder shows 17700' altimeter, 17500', altitude setting 29.86. My attention was distracted by build ups 75-100 mi ahead which I mentally planned to circumnav VFR. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states intention to go VFR to circumnav was because of 50 mi visibility and desire to avoid being vectored into WX by ATC. Thinking VFR before cancelled IFR. Had to reinstate IFR flight plan later on as build ups were more extensive than they appeared to be.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION, VFR ALT ON IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: DURING AN IFR CLRNC CLB TO 17000' IN VFR CONDITIONS, I FORGOT TO CANCEL IFR AND CONTINUED CLBING TO 17500'. THE CTLR QUESTIONED MY ASSIGNED ALT. HE ADVISED I WAS SHOWING 17600'. SUBSEQUENTLY, I CANCELLED IFR. AT LCL ON ZNY FREQ 134.8 ENCODER SHOWS 17700' ALTIMETER, 17500', ALT SETTING 29.86. MY ATTN WAS DISTRACTED BY BUILD UPS 75-100 MI AHEAD WHICH I MENTALLY PLANNED TO CIRCUMNAV VFR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES INTENTION TO GO VFR TO CIRCUMNAV WAS BECAUSE OF 50 MI VIS AND DESIRE TO AVOID BEING VECTORED INTO WX BY ATC. THINKING VFR BEFORE CANCELLED IFR. HAD TO REINSTATE IFR FLT PLAN LATER ON AS BUILD UPS WERE MORE EXTENSIVE THAN THEY APPEARED TO BE.

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.