PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 3; Flight Crew Total 540; Flight Crew Type 8
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Immediately prior to flight I briefed with a CFI and specifically discussed that aircraft was not IFR ready and that I would need to maintain VFR at all times. I filed aircraft type as P28R/U but DIRECT 9B1. I filed and was not able to select VFR-on-top or enter a comment (e.g.; 'training flight'). I did select a VFR altitude; but was assigned 11;000. I did not request VFR-on-top after I was in the air. I was not expecting GPS fixes and expected to fly a visual approach into 9B1. ATC asked me to confirm that I was slant uniform. I confirmed that I was. The next question was how I was navigating DIRECT. I admitted that I had an iPad for GPS but that it was not an IFR system. I was instructed to proceed direct DREEM. I tried DREAM in my iPad; but did not find the waypoint. I advised ATC that I was unable to find it and asked for a vector. I was given a vector which appeared to be my current heading. Had ATC spelled DREEM for me; I probably would have found it. I was flying in VMC at all times and descended from 11;000 FT to 9;000 FT; then to 7;000 FT maintaining VFR. Shortly after I leveled out at 7;000 FT; ATC instructed me to descend to 5;000 FT and proceed DIRECT DREEM. I was looking for DREAM on the IFR low altitude chart on my iPad. ATC advised that there was traffic at 12:00; to turn left to 360; and warned that I had descended below assigned altitude. I was able to see the other aircraft and immediately turned left and began climbing back to 5;000 FT. I reported to ATC that I had the traffic in sight. After returning to 5;000 FT; I believe I was back to Boston Center who advised that there was a possible pilot deviation and that the next controller would probably be asking me to call number. When handed back to Bradley Approach; I advised that I had located DREEM (on low IFR chart) and was told to proceed direct to DREEM. I know that it is not unusual for a Controller to 'chew out' a pilot for a mistake. But not all controllers do this. This was my first time being chewed out. My observation is that it was a bad idea. Even though I tried to remain calm; I found that it had caused me to be stressed and made it harder to focus on my landing. I think the chewing out should have waited until I was safely on the ground. I believe that chewing out a pilot in the air compromises safety. I should have cancelled IFR earlier. ATC should have given me vectors rather than a GPS fix based on my type '/U'. ATC might have inquired whether I wished to proceed VFR. This was a case where I did not know the best way for ATC to continue navigation. My original clearance was DIRECT 9B1. The primary cause of my failure to stop descent was my attention diverted to finding a GPS waypoint when I had not briefed GPS waypoints and did not have the spelling. Also contributing to the event was my filing direct to my destination which left ATC expecting that I had GPS. ATC should have been able to recover by treating me as having a GPS failure or GPS outage. Repeated instructions from ATC for me to proceed DIRECT DREEM created a sense of necessity to find DREAM on the map which distracted me from the important duty of leveling out at 5;000 FT. The difference between DREEM and 9B1 would have been a very slight heading change. I probably could have proceeded on course or flown 1 or 2 degrees left of course. Finding DREEM was probably quite unnecessary. In retrospect; I wish I had cancelled IFR when ATC asked me how I was navigating.
PA28 pilot reports filing an IFR flight plan /U direct to his destination in a non IFR aircraft using an iPad for navigation. This leads to confusion on the part of ATC and an altitude deviation on the part of the reporter.