A PA60 COMMUTER PLT OVERSHOOTS HIS ASSIGNED ALT DURING A PERIOD OF DISTR BY DEP CTLR REGARDING THE FLT'S XPONDER MODE C DURING A VMC DEP TO 3000 FT FROM CGF; OH.

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WHEN DEPARTING CGF; THE CLRNC WAS RWY HDG TO 1900 FT THEN R TURN TO 320 DEGS; MAINTAIN 3000 FT. AFTER TKOF; I CLBED TO 1900 FT AND STARTED MY TURN TO 320 DEGS WHEN THE TWR TOLD ME TO CONTACT APCH. I TRIED TO CONTACT APCH WHILE CLBING THROUGH 2200 FT; BUT THERE WAS OTHER TFC AND THEY DID NOT HEAR ME. I TRIED AGAIN WHILE CLBING THROUGH 2600 FT. THEY ASKED ME TO RECYCLE MY XPONDER; WHICH I DID. AS I STARTED TO LOOK BACK TO THE FLT INSTS; THEY CAME BACK AND DEMANDED THAT I RECYCLE MY XPONDER. I IMMEDIATELY RECHKED THE XPONDER AND REPLIED THAT I HAD RECYCLED IT. WHEN I LOOKED BACK TO THE ALTIMETER; I WAS CLBING THROUGH 3300 FT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO LEVEL OFF. THE CTLR SAID THAT HE NOW HAD MY XPONDER; BUT MY MODE C APPEARED TO BE OFF AND ASKED ME WHAT MY CURRENT ALT WAS. I REPLIED THAT I WAS AT 3500 FT AND STARTING BACK DOWN. HE SAID THAT I WAS ASSIGNED 3000 FT; BUT TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. I READ THE NEW ALT BACK AND ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE A PROB. HE SAID NOT TODAY AND THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY CONFLICT; BUT I NEEDED TO BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS COMPLETED UNEVENTFULLY. I THINK THE MAIN CAUSE FOR THIS INCIDENT WAS ALLOWING THE CTLR TO DISTRACT ME FROM WHAT MY MAIN TASK WAS (FLYING THE AIRPLANE). I ALLOWED HIS DEMANDS AND MY DESIRE TO ESTABLISH RADAR CONTACT TO DRAW MY ATTN AWAY FROM FLYING THE AIRPLANE. FROM NOW ON; IF I AM NEARING AN ALT OR A HDG; I AM GOING TO WAIT UNTIL I HAVE LEVELED THE AIRPLANE TO ADDRESS ANY CTLR REQUESTS. SECONDLY; PLTS THAT BECOME FAMILIAR WITH AN AREA CAN BECOME COMPLACENT. ON ALL PRIOR DEPS FROM CGF I HAD BEEN GIVEN 4000 FT AS SOON AS I HAD CONTACTED DEP. EXPECTING THAT WOULD BE THE CASE THIS TIME; I WAS STILL CLBING AT APPROX 1500 FPM WHEN I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO CONTACT DEP. I SHOULD HAVE SLOWED THE CLB DOWN AS SOON AS I NEARED 3000 FT.