Altitude deviation. Overshoot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	127627
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	127627
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had taken off, I reached over to turn off the passenger seat belt light when the captain's attitude indicator failed. It was VFR with a clear horizon, so I decided to cover the captain's indicator so that he would not become distracted. I reached down for paper to make a cover. As I reached over to cover the instrument, the passenger immediately behind the copilot's seat dropped the coffee pt. Attracting both my attention and the captain's away from the panel. With my head facing backwards and my arms outstretched towards the attitude gyro, my arm rubbed the knob on the kollsman's window for setting the altimeter, changing the setting, and causing an erroneous reading. End result, 500' above assigned altitude. The captain noticed the large discrepancy between his altimeter and mine and immediately stopped the climb. Approach then called with the altimeter setting because they figured something was wrong also.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: WE HAD TAKEN OFF, I REACHED OVER TO TURN OFF THE PAX SEAT BELT LIGHT WHEN THE CAPT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR FAILED. IT WAS VFR WITH A CLEAR HORIZON, SO I DECIDED TO COVER THE CAPT'S INDICATOR SO THAT HE WOULD NOT BECOME DISTRACTED. I REACHED DOWN FOR PAPER TO MAKE A COVER. AS I REACHED OVER TO COVER THE INSTRUMENT, THE PAX IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE COPLT'S SEAT DROPPED THE COFFEE PT. ATTRACTING BOTH MY ATTN AND THE CAPT'S AWAY FROM THE PANEL. WITH MY HEAD FACING BACKWARDS AND MY ARMS OUTSTRETCHED TOWARDS THE ATTITUDE GYRO, MY ARM RUBBED THE KNOB ON THE KOLLSMAN'S WINDOW FOR SETTING THE ALTIMETER, CHANGING THE SETTING, AND CAUSING AN ERRONEOUS READING. END RESULT, 500' ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT NOTICED THE LARGE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN HIS ALTIMETER AND MINE AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CLIMB. APCH THEN CALLED WITH THE ALTIMETER SETTING BECAUSE THEY FIGURED SOMETHING WAS WRONG ALSO.

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.