Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 18000; Flight Crew Type 500
Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
I forgot to level at 1;300 FT on departure as per the NOTAM for a local aviation event. This was my first time to OSH. I carefully planned the arrival and departure. The arrival went off perfectly and was a highlight of my flying to date; soon soured on departure by forgetting to level off. Fortunately no traffic conflict occurred that I know of. Our plan was to depart the OSH area to the east. I preflighted the airplane and carefully briefed the pre-planned departure with my two non-pilot passengers before starting the engine. Runway 27 was in use. In order to cross Lake Winnebago at a comfortable altitude we planned to depart straight out; maintain 1;300 FT (per NOTAM) and heading 270 (NOTAM allows heading 270 through 360) for 5 NM and then climb and loop north around the Class D to cross Lake Winnebago eastbound while climbing to 5;500 FT. It was a long taxi through rough grass with small dips and hills. As we neared the departure point I completed the Pre-Takeoff Checklist. I was expecting someone to have a sign that said wag ailerons or something when ready before staging us but Tower just said Cessna cleared for takeoff as we approached. The surface wind was light but the winds aloft were strong as expected. After climbing through a few hundred feet the airplane began to drift so I corrected to maintain extended runway centerline. I became surprised at how much north correction it was taking to track straight out. I had put OSH in the GPS for a distance but no track line. I looked a few times over my shoulder to double check we were tracking straight out and made sure we were well north of the arrival track. After clear of the Class D we turned north. We had been monitoring Tower since taxi and only when clear of the Delta Airspace did we hear Tower tell another aircraft; and all subsequent aircraft; 'Cleared for takeoff; maintain 1;300 FT for traffic inbound.' My heart sank when I heard this as I knew I had blown the altitude. It seemed impossible that I had forgotten to level off. I don't know if the Controller omitted the 1;300 FT restriction for us and other aircraft because there was no inbound traffic or if perhaps he had noticed our climb and started to add the restriction. I believe my mistake comes from relying on memory and then a chain of distractions such as: *Long time since brief to takeoff (no traditional run-up area available). *Rough terrain on taxi. *Slight confusion about how to report ready.*Hurried departure *Strong crosswind after takeoff. I should have thought about potential errors/distractions and ways to avoid them ahead of time. A sticky note above the Altimeter prior to takeoff would have been helpful. I could have pre-loaded a ground track into the GPS. A kneeboard departure route checklist with a verbalized intention to review when near departure would have helped. Most importantly; I should have briefed the departure again as we were nearing the departure point but before it got busy. Better cockpit management would have avoided this problem. As a suggestion for future OSH Airventure NOTAMS: The only place the altitude on departure is mentioned is on the departure graphic (page 15) and in very small print. I feel it should be in larger type and possibly even BOLD.
A small aircraft pilot forgot to level at 1;300 FT departing Runway 27 at OSH during a local aviation event and offers suggestions.