Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 11; Flight Crew Total 310; Flight Crew Type 206
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface
Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Weather
IFR flight to MLB descended from cruise altitude of 7;000 down to 5;000; but got lower (4;900) and eventually lower still (4;800). ATC called out traffic - 12:00; 3 miles; opposite direction; VFR at 4;500. Looked and saw it almost immediately; saw that it was not a factor; as it was well below and a little off to the side. Also noticed my low altitude and began correcting; about the same time that ATC informed me I was low. Although the traffic was VFR; he actually popped out of a cloud that had a floor of about 4;000 - as soon as he did; we saw him. Just a bit of information - it didn't have anything to do with me being low. There was a good bit of turbulence; since we were right at the middle of the cloud layer - a scattered layer from about 4;000 to about 8;000. When inside a cloud; altitude control wasn't really possible - we were going up and down well over 500 FPM at times. When outside of the clouds; it was still a challenge; but if I had been paying closer attention to the altitude; I could have corrected it. We do not have an autopilot.
C182 pilot at 5;000 FT on an IFR flight plan reports a NMAC with VFR traffic at 4;500 FT and possibly not clear of clouds. The reporter had descended to 4;800 FT inadvertently due to turbulence in the clouds.