Altitude alert minimum equipment listed. Altitude deviation on climbout.

Attributes
ACN	152084
Time
Date	199007
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjt
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	152084
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our aircraft had an MEL on the altitude alert warning system. I was cleared on course and up to 7000'. Aft climb rate was in excess of 2000 FPM when I noticed I had exceeded 7000' by 800'. I immediately placed transponder in standby. Went to flight idle power and quickly returned to 7000'. Departure at sjt has no radar and upon contacting ZFW (126.15) no violation was stated by the controller. As pilots, we begin to rely on our equipment, patterns develop and when the standard situation changes, mistakes are made. If the altitude alert had been working, we would not have busted the altitude. I realize we are responsible for our use of the quip. However, I do not think that safety devices should be allowed to be MEL'd.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT ALERT MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LISTED. ALT DEVIATION ON CLIMBOUT.

Narrative: OUR ACFT HAD AN MEL ON THE ALT ALERT WARNING SYS. I WAS CLRED ON COURSE AND UP TO 7000'. AFT CLB RATE WAS IN EXCESS OF 2000 FPM WHEN I NOTICED I HAD EXCEEDED 7000' BY 800'. I IMMEDIATELY PLACED XPONDER IN STANDBY. WENT TO FLT IDLE PWR AND QUICKLY RETURNED TO 7000'. DEP AT SJT HAS NO RADAR AND UPON CONTACTING ZFW (126.15) NO VIOLATION WAS STATED BY THE CTLR. AS PLTS, WE BEGIN TO RELY ON OUR EQUIP, PATTERNS DEVELOP AND WHEN THE STANDARD SITUATION CHANGES, MISTAKES ARE MADE. IF THE ALT ALERT HAD BEEN WORKING, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BUSTED THE ALT. I REALIZE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR USE OF THE QUIP. HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK THAT SAFETY DEVICES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE MEL'D.

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.