Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation overshot during climb out from dtw.

Attributes
ACN	138858
Time
Date	199003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 4230 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	138858
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying the airplane with the autoplt off during our departure. Control gave us a climb to 14000' with a turn out to the west. The captain acknowledged the climb and turn and set the 14000' altitude in the altitude window of the digital flight guidance panel. The captain checked in with ZOB passing 13500' for 14000'. Center immediately said we should be leveling at 13000' due to traffic. I pushed over to return to 13000' while the captain confirmed the altitude. ZOB asked if we received 14000' from departure and of course we thought we had. I don't know if the departure controller gave us a wrong altitude or we heard it wrong. These types of human errors are so difficult to eliminate, if not impossible. Having a third crew member definitely would add another backup in the cockpit as well as reduce our workload. I realize that those days are gone, but who backs up the controller? I also think transmitting the altitude set in digital flight guidance computers would add further feedback to controllers that would remain after the verbal readback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB OUT FROM DTW.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE WITH THE AUTOPLT OFF DURING OUR DEP. CTL GAVE US A CLIMB TO 14000' WITH A TURN OUT TO THE W. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLIMB AND TURN AND SET THE 14000' ALT IN THE ALT WINDOW OF THE DIGITAL FLT GUIDANCE PANEL. THE CAPT CHECKED IN WITH ZOB PASSING 13500' FOR 14000'. CENTER IMMEDIATELY SAID WE SHOULD BE LEVELING AT 13000' DUE TO TFC. I PUSHED OVER TO RETURN TO 13000' WHILE THE CAPT CONFIRMED THE ALT. ZOB ASKED IF WE RECEIVED 14000' FROM DEP AND OF COURSE WE THOUGHT WE HAD. I DON'T KNOW IF THE DEP CTLR GAVE US A WRONG ALT OR WE HEARD IT WRONG. THESE TYPES OF HUMAN ERRORS ARE SO DIFFICULT TO ELIMINATE, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. HAVING A THIRD CREW MEMBER DEFINITELY WOULD ADD ANOTHER BACKUP IN THE COCKPIT AS WELL AS REDUCE OUR WORKLOAD. I REALIZE THAT THOSE DAYS ARE GONE, BUT WHO BACKS UP THE CTLR? I ALSO THINK XMITTING THE ALT SET IN DIGITAL FLT GUIDANCE COMPUTERS WOULD ADD FURTHER FEEDBACK TO CTLRS THAT WOULD REMAIN AFTER THE VERBAL READBACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.