Narrative:

Atlanta tower will clear us to 4000' on departure and give us our first turn and always immediately hand us off to departure control, who will always clear us to 10000' (usually long before we get to 4000' MSL). What happened: on departure atl tower gave us our first turn and that was all. The captain and myself were so conditioned to the continual climb out of atl that we continued through 4000' to 4800' before I discovered it and called tower for a handoff while the captain stopped the climb and began a descent back to 4000' MSL. This was the second day of a three day trip and the captain and myself had a short night before (min legal rest). The nature of our business (scheduled) often means rushing through the day. With turn around times on the ground of ten as short as 10-15 mins. This was one of those days. One major issue I would like to see studied in much depth is that of crew rest. I freely admit that often I feel exhausted after and during my trips. This condition often accounts for mistakes and oversights not related to the safety of the flight. However, I've got to to consider the possibility that the chances go up for making such a mistake that does effect the safety of the flight in that condition. Consider the minimum 8 hour rest. Off duty at xa:00 pm. Hotel van shows at xa:15 pm. Arrive at hotel at xa:30 pm. In bed by xb:00 pm. Wake up call xg:45 am. Leave hotel xh:45 am. Show st:00 am. Net 5 3/4 hours sleep. Get real guys! The FARS allow this but nobody seems to acknowledge that it's unreasonable. Not the feds, not the company and even many pilots have just given up complaining. Why?

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMBOUT FROM AL. REPORTER CLAIMS FATIGUE CAUSED BY SHORT NIGHT'S REST WAS THE MAIN FACTOR.

Narrative: ATLANTA TWR WILL CLR US TO 4000' ON DEP AND GIVE US OUR FIRST TURN AND ALWAYS IMMEDIATELY HAND US OFF TO DEP CTL, WHO WILL ALWAYS CLR US TO 10000' (USUALLY LONG BEFORE WE GET TO 4000' MSL). WHAT HAPPENED: ON DEP ATL TWR GAVE US OUR FIRST TURN AND THAT WAS ALL. THE CAPT AND MYSELF WERE SO CONDITIONED TO THE CONTINUAL CLBOUT OF ATL THAT WE CONTINUED THROUGH 4000' TO 4800' BEFORE I DISCOVERED IT AND CALLED TWR FOR A HDOF WHILE THE CAPT STOPPED THE CLB AND BEGAN A DSNT BACK TO 4000' MSL. THIS WAS THE SECOND DAY OF A THREE DAY TRIP AND THE CAPT AND MYSELF HAD A SHORT NIGHT BEFORE (MIN LEGAL REST). THE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS (SCHEDULED) OFTEN MEANS RUSHING THROUGH THE DAY. WITH TURN AROUND TIMES ON THE GND OF TEN AS SHORT AS 10-15 MINS. THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS. ONE MAJOR ISSUE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STUDIED IN MUCH DEPTH IS THAT OF CREW REST. I FREELY ADMIT THAT OFTEN I FEEL EXHAUSTED AFTER AND DURING MY TRIPS. THIS CONDITION OFTEN ACCOUNTS FOR MISTAKES AND OVERSIGHTS NOT RELATED TO THE SAFETY OF THE FLT. HOWEVER, I'VE GOT TO TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CHANCES GO UP FOR MAKING SUCH A MISTAKE THAT DOES EFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE FLT IN THAT CONDITION. CONSIDER THE MINIMUM 8 HR REST. OFF DUTY AT XA:00 PM. HOTEL VAN SHOWS AT XA:15 PM. ARRIVE AT HOTEL AT XA:30 PM. IN BED BY XB:00 PM. WAKE UP CALL XG:45 AM. LEAVE HOTEL XH:45 AM. SHOW ST:00 AM. NET 5 3/4 HRS SLEEP. GET REAL GUYS! THE FARS ALLOW THIS BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S UNREASONABLE. NOT THE FEDS, NOT THE COMPANY AND EVEN MANY PLTS HAVE JUST GIVEN UP COMPLAINING. WHY?

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.