Narrative:

Climbing out of st augustine, fl, I was in the right seat, PF. Captain in left seat running radios, autoplt on. We received a clearance to climb. I heard climb to FL220 and set the altitude alerter. I thought I also heard the captain respond to FL220. At 20900' MSL, the controller stated we were cleared to FL200. They then advised us of the possible deviation report. Normally, the pilot in the left seat flys and the pilot in the right seat handles radios, including the altitude alerter. Due to this being the first time the crew flew together, this was not done and could be a contributing factor to this incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. First officer indicates that he faces an FAA imposed 15 day suspension of flying privileges. Supplemental information from acn 141049. We probably were assigned FL200 since I was quoted on the ATC tape as acknowledging FL200 (I can't remember just now). Copilot set in FL220 on the altitude alerter and we were going for it when (at 20900 our indicated) ATC called and reminded us that we were assigned FL200. We immediately descended back to FL200 although ATC gave us the option to continue to FL220. I was told by the jax quality assurance office that there was another aircraft, a slower small transport Y passing laterally at our 5:30 to 6:00 and that we were 600' vertically and 3/6 NM distant at the closest point. Factors which caused the problem as I have idented them are: the communication radio quality was poor causing occasional trouble with communicating. The copilot apparently had heard an altitude instruction other than what the controller had transmitted and set FL220 in the altitude alerter window. Although I probably acknowledged FL200, I failed to detect the copilot's error. I haven't had recurrent training of any kind since 12/88. This was the first flight with the copilot. Copilot was flying and should not have been setting the altitude alerter. Setting the altitude alerter is a duty of the PNF. I should have asked him to discontinue adjusting the altitude alerter the first time he adjusted it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB FORGOV SMT RESULTS IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION WITH SMT Y.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF ST AUGUSTINE, FL, I WAS IN THE R SEAT, PF. CAPT IN L SEAT RUNNING RADIOS, AUTOPLT ON. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CLB. I HEARD CLB TO FL220 AND SET THE ALT ALERTER. I THOUGHT I ALSO HEARD THE CAPT RESPOND TO FL220. AT 20900' MSL, THE CTLR STATED WE WERE CLRED TO FL200. THEY THEN ADVISED US OF THE POSSIBLE DEV RPT. NORMALLY, THE PLT IN THE L SEAT FLYS AND THE PLT IN THE R SEAT HANDLES RADIOS, INCLUDING THE ALT ALERTER. DUE TO THIS BEING THE FIRST TIME THE CREW FLEW TOGETHER, THIS WAS NOT DONE AND COULD BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. F/O INDICATES THAT HE FACES AN FAA IMPOSED 15 DAY SUSPENSION OF FLYING PRIVILEGES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 141049. WE PROBABLY WERE ASSIGNED FL200 SINCE I WAS QUOTED ON THE ATC TAPE AS ACKNOWLEDGING FL200 (I CAN'T REMEMBER JUST NOW). COPLT SET IN FL220 ON THE ALT ALERTER AND WE WERE GOING FOR IT WHEN (AT 20900 OUR INDICATED) ATC CALLED AND REMINDED US THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED FL200. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO FL200 ALTHOUGH ATC GAVE US THE OPTION TO CONTINUE TO FL220. I WAS TOLD BY THE JAX QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICE THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT, A SLOWER SMT Y PASSING LATERALLY AT OUR 5:30 TO 6:00 AND THAT WE WERE 600' VERTICALLY AND 3/6 NM DISTANT AT THE CLOSEST POINT. FACTORS WHICH CAUSED THE PROB AS I HAVE IDENTED THEM ARE: THE COM RADIO QUALITY WAS POOR CAUSING OCCASIONAL TROUBLE WITH COMMUNICATING. THE COPLT APPARENTLY HAD HEARD AN ALT INSTRUCTION OTHER THAN WHAT THE CTLR HAD XMITTED AND SET FL220 IN THE ALT ALERTER WINDOW. ALTHOUGH I PROBABLY ACKNOWLEDGED FL200, I FAILED TO DETECT THE COPLT'S ERROR. I HAVEN'T HAD RECURRENT TRNING OF ANY KIND SINCE 12/88. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT WITH THE COPLT. COPLT WAS FLYING AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SETTING THE ALT ALERTER. SETTING THE ALT ALERTER IS A DUTY OF THE PNF. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED HIM TO DISCONTINUE ADJUSTING THE ALT ALERTER THE FIRST TIME HE ADJUSTED IT.

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.