Narrative:

The problem arose when the captain (PNF) called '1000' to go' as we passed 8000'. I estimate 20-30 seconds later the captain suddenly remember to call in our times (out/off) to company. The captain was unsure of our out/off times and asked me. We both looked at our watches and agreed on the times to be used. Next, the captain was not sure what company frequency was and asked me. I looked down to retrieve my chart binder to verify the frequency. When I looked back up to the panel, we were passing 9300'. I immediately lowered the nose and acknowledged my altitude deviation to captain. I began an immediate descent to assigned altitude, 9000'. The captain, who also was looking for frequency to call company and not monitoring the panel either, tried to find the right knob to turn mode C off on transponder, which I had to help him find. I estimate we were at 9300-9400' for 10-15 seconds and never actually level at either. I returned the plane to assigned altitude (9000') in about 25-30 seconds. Problem corrected. Being on ready reserve from mid-morning till late evening. The captain had flown since early morning, and had totaled 7 hours of flying that day. He was tired and appeared to be unfamiliar with aircraft. This made me feel uneasy. Both captain and I were tired and captain distracted me and himself when within 1000' of assigned altitude. Having been off duty 3 days before the flight caused both scan and judgement to be slowed. I would recommend a strict tolerance to a sterile cockpit anytime climbing or descending within 1000' of an assigned altitude; i.e., no paperwork, no calls to company or passenger. Both pilots should be watching the plane and the panel in order to x-chk and verify what should be done is being done.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ALT OVERSHOOT ON CLIMB.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHEN THE CAPT (PNF) CALLED '1000' TO GO' AS WE PASSED 8000'. I ESTIMATE 20-30 SECS LATER THE CAPT SUDDENLY REMEMBER TO CALL IN OUR TIMES (OUT/OFF) TO COMPANY. THE CAPT WAS UNSURE OF OUR OUT/OFF TIMES AND ASKED ME. WE BOTH LOOKED AT OUR WATCHES AND AGREED ON THE TIMES TO BE USED. NEXT, THE CAPT WAS NOT SURE WHAT COMPANY FREQ WAS AND ASKED ME. I LOOKED DOWN TO RETRIEVE MY CHART BINDER TO VERIFY THE FREQ. WHEN I LOOKED BACK UP TO THE PANEL, WE WERE PASSING 9300'. I IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE NOSE AND ACKNOWLEDGED MY ALT DEVIATION TO CAPT. I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO ASSIGNED ALT, 9000'. THE CAPT, WHO ALSO WAS LOOKING FOR FREQ TO CALL COMPANY AND NOT MONITORING THE PANEL EITHER, TRIED TO FIND THE RIGHT KNOB TO TURN MODE C OFF ON XPONDER, WHICH I HAD TO HELP HIM FIND. I ESTIMATE WE WERE AT 9300-9400' FOR 10-15 SECS AND NEVER ACTUALLY LEVEL AT EITHER. I RETURNED THE PLANE TO ASSIGNED ALT (9000') IN ABOUT 25-30 SECS. PROB CORRECTED. BEING ON READY RESERVE FROM MID-MORNING TILL LATE EVENING. THE CAPT HAD FLOWN SINCE EARLY MORNING, AND HAD TOTALED 7 HRS OF FLYING THAT DAY. HE WAS TIRED AND APPEARED TO BE UNFAMILIAR WITH ACFT. THIS MADE ME FEEL UNEASY. BOTH CAPT AND I WERE TIRED AND CAPT DISTRACTED ME AND HIMSELF WHEN WITHIN 1000' OF ASSIGNED ALT. HAVING BEEN OFF DUTY 3 DAYS BEFORE THE FLT CAUSED BOTH SCAN AND JUDGEMENT TO BE SLOWED. I WOULD RECOMMEND A STRICT TOLERANCE TO A STERILE COCKPIT ANYTIME CLBING OR DSNDING WITHIN 1000' OF AN ASSIGNED ALT; I.E., NO PAPERWORK, NO CALLS TO COMPANY OR PAX. BOTH PLTS SHOULD BE WATCHING THE PLANE AND THE PANEL IN ORDER TO X-CHK AND VERIFY WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IS BEING DONE.

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.