BA31 CREW; CONCERNED ABOUT CTLR'S COMMENT; LEVELS OFF ABOVE CLRED ALT IN DSCNT IN BFL AIRSPACE.

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ATC ADVISED THAT WE WERE 2 MI OFF THE AIRWAY AND TO TURN L 20 DEGS TO REINTERCEPT. WE PROCEEDED TO DOUBLECHK OUR POS WHILE EXECUTING THE L TURN. OUR INSTS SHOWED US TO BE 1 1/2 MI OFF AIRWAY CTRLINE. DURING THIS TIME AS WE WERE RECALCULATING OUR EXACT POS RELATIVE TO THE AIRWAY CTRLINE; I INADVERTENTLY LEVELED THE ACFT AT 12000 FT. WE WERE AT THIS ALT FOR NO MORE THAN 2 MINS WHEN ATC ADVISED US OF OUR CLRNC TO 8000 FT. WE WERE MUCH TOO CONCERNED ABOUT BEING OFF THE AIRWAY WHEN WE WERE ACTUALLY ONLY OFF THE CTRLINE AND DID NOT FLY THE ACFT. I BELIEVE A PERCEIVED NOTION THAT ATC/FAA IS TRIGGER HAPPY TO VIOLATE A PLT LED TO OUR DISTR. IN TALKING WITH MANY COMMUTER PLTS; IT IS COMMON THAT THE COCKPIT STRESS LEVEL HITS THE ROOF WHENEVER ATC QUESTIONS ALT; HDG ETC. THE INITIAL CONCERN IS OVER A POSSIBLE VIOLATION AND ITS EFFECT ON A PLT'S CAREER RATHER THAN THE SIT AT HAND. FLYING THE ACFT SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST; AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE FEAR OF VIOLATION HAS BECOME SO OVERWHELMING THAT IT INTERFERES WITH THIS.