Altitude deviation overshoot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	130747
Time
Date	198912
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	130747
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When contacting ZNY after takeoff from mdt, reported level at 5000'. Center questioned altitude, and if same received from clearance at mdt. Replied in the affirmative. Center said then that it should have been 3000', and in the future we should question any altitude other than 3000' if given by the clearance delivery. After a moment, all 3 of us looked at the clearance as written by the copilot when he received our clearance. Lo and behold, it was 3000'. After thinking it over, I decided 4 things contributed to our error: 1) the altitude alert was left at 5000' as the last altitude clearance received from arrival, and where we cancelled IMC to completed our approach visually. Should have been reset to 0' or 1000' so we wouldn't have left it alone! 2) very cold out, very light airplane. From takeoff to 5000' probably took less than 2 mins. 3) tower normally releases us right after takeoff, but that night I had to ask to be released to departure. Still was told 'not yet,' and then shortly after we were turned over to center and already at 5000'. #4 last leg of a long 3-DAY trip. Tired, hungry and not as attentive to minor details such as listening to the clearance with the copilot. Fortunately, the WX was clear and skies were empty.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: WHEN CONTACTING ZNY AFTER TKOF FROM MDT, RPTED LEVEL AT 5000'. CENTER QUESTIONED ALT, AND IF SAME RECEIVED FROM CLRNC AT MDT. REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. CENTER SAID THEN THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 3000', AND IN THE FUTURE WE SHOULD QUESTION ANY ALT OTHER THAN 3000' IF GIVEN BY THE CLRNC DELIVERY. AFTER A MOMENT, ALL 3 OF US LOOKED AT THE CLRNC AS WRITTEN BY THE COPLT WHEN HE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC. LO AND BEHOLD, IT WAS 3000'. AFTER THINKING IT OVER, I DECIDED 4 THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO OUR ERROR: 1) THE ALT ALERT WAS LEFT AT 5000' AS THE LAST ALT CLRNC RECEIVED FROM ARR, AND WHERE WE CANCELLED IMC TO COMPLETED OUR APCH VISUALLY. SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESET TO 0' OR 1000' SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT IT ALONE! 2) VERY COLD OUT, VERY LIGHT AIRPLANE. FROM TKOF TO 5000' PROBABLY TOOK LESS THAN 2 MINS. 3) TWR NORMALLY RELEASES US RIGHT AFTER TKOF, BUT THAT NIGHT I HAD TO ASK TO BE RELEASED TO DEP. STILL WAS TOLD 'NOT YET,' AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER WE WERE TURNED OVER TO CENTER AND ALREADY AT 5000'. #4 LAST LEG OF A LONG 3-DAY TRIP. TIRED, HUNGRY AND NOT AS ATTENTIVE TO MINOR DETAILS SUCH AS LISTENING TO THE CLRNC WITH THE COPLT. FORTUNATELY, THE WX WAS CLR AND SKIES WERE EMPTY.

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.