Air ambulance departing den overshot assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	118489
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 8870
ASRS Report	118489
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air ambulance ('lifeguard') flight, den direct cpr, vectored about 10 NM west of den, by denver departure, on the 'denver 9' departure, then vectored north. Initial assigned altitude was 10,000'. That was changed to FL180, and I seem to recall that the change was made early in the climb, shortly after initial contact with departure control. Soon thereafter, well before reaching 10,000, assigned altitude was changed back to 10,000. I continued climb through 10,000. Departure controller stopped me, after I had gone roughly 800' too high, and I got back down to 10,000 in a hurry. As far as I know, no 'conflict alert' resulted (controller mentioned none). I have about 8900 hours, lotsa recent time 'in type', short memory. Other contributing factors: 1) trw+++ between me and cpr: I needed to start looking at the radar picture, as soon as I could point my nose toward cpr. The need was as real as god, and even more compelling. 2) VFR conditions: we all fly heading/altitude/airspeed more precisely when we aren't looking for traffic. We all scan for traffic more thoroughly when we don't have to hold a precise altitude, whether we realize and admit it or not. Use of TCA's, arsa's, TRSA's, and stage III 'service' in VFR conveniently ignores this fact and is a disservice from ATC. 3) single pilot IFR, no altitude alerter: we fly 5 small transport type aircraft, with 5 different autoplts, radars, flight directors and radio packages. 3 have altitude alerters, 2 don't. 4 of the autoplts are easily usable in level flight (only). 4) the first 20 mins of preparation/taxi/climb in most lifeguard flts is busy, busy, busy! Just one example: hospital dispatchers want a radio call and fairly accurate ETA, while the pilot is still climbing, talking/listening to 'departure', guessing how far/which way to deviate around trw's, and before he has a chance to see if the winds aloft are as forecast. I was talking on #2 radio, listening on #1, scanning for traffic, and glancing briefly at radar during this 'bust'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR AMBULANCE DEPARTING DEN OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: AIR AMBULANCE ('LIFEGUARD') FLT, DEN DIRECT CPR, VECTORED ABOUT 10 NM W OF DEN, BY DENVER DEP, ON THE 'DENVER 9' DEP, THEN VECTORED NORTH. INITIAL ASSIGNED ALT WAS 10,000'. THAT WAS CHANGED TO FL180, AND I SEEM TO RECALL THAT THE CHANGE WAS MADE EARLY IN THE CLIMB, SHORTLY AFTER INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP CTL. SOON THEREAFTER, WELL BEFORE REACHING 10,000, ASSIGNED ALT WAS CHANGED BACK TO 10,000. I CONTINUED CLIMB THROUGH 10,000. DEP CTLR STOPPED ME, AFTER I HAD GONE ROUGHLY 800' TOO HIGH, AND I GOT BACK DOWN TO 10,000 IN A HURRY. AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO 'CONFLICT ALERT' RESULTED (CTLR MENTIONED NONE). I HAVE ABOUT 8900 HRS, LOTSA RECENT TIME 'IN TYPE', SHORT MEMORY. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) TRW+++ BETWEEN ME AND CPR: I NEEDED TO START LOOKING AT THE RADAR PICTURE, AS SOON AS I COULD POINT MY NOSE TOWARD CPR. THE NEED WAS AS REAL AS GOD, AND EVEN MORE COMPELLING. 2) VFR CONDITIONS: WE ALL FLY HDG/ALT/AIRSPEED MORE PRECISELY WHEN WE AREN'T LOOKING FOR TFC. WE ALL SCAN FOR TFC MORE THOROUGHLY WHEN WE DON'T HAVE TO HOLD A PRECISE ALT, WHETHER WE REALIZE AND ADMIT IT OR NOT. USE OF TCA'S, ARSA'S, TRSA'S, AND STAGE III 'SERVICE' IN VFR CONVENIENTLY IGNORES THIS FACT AND IS A DISSERVICE FROM ATC. 3) SINGLE PLT IFR, NO ALT ALERTER: WE FLY 5 SMT TYPE ACFT, WITH 5 DIFFERENT AUTOPLTS, RADARS, FLT DIRECTORS AND RADIO PACKAGES. 3 HAVE ALT ALERTERS, 2 DON'T. 4 OF THE AUTOPLTS ARE EASILY USABLE IN LEVEL FLT (ONLY). 4) THE FIRST 20 MINS OF PREPARATION/TAXI/CLIMB IN MOST LIFEGUARD FLTS IS BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! JUST ONE EXAMPLE: HOSPITAL DISPATCHERS WANT A RADIO CALL AND FAIRLY ACCURATE ETA, WHILE THE PLT IS STILL CLIMBING, TALKING/LISTENING TO 'DEP', GUESSING HOW FAR/WHICH WAY TO DEVIATE AROUND TRW'S, AND BEFORE HE HAS A CHANCE TO SEE IF THE WINDS ALOFT ARE AS FORECAST. I WAS TALKING ON #2 RADIO, LISTENING ON #1, SCANNING FOR TFC, AND GLANCING BRIEFLY AT RADAR DURING THIS 'BUST'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.