Altitude overshoot on climbout.

Attributes
ACN	157034
Time
Date	199009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iiu
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4120 flight time type : 2426
ASRS Report	157034
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera 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:

We were cleared to 31000' enroute to sdf. I (PF) was using the communication radio to notify dispatch of our ETA and inquire about our outbnd routing. The first officer who was monitoring the center frequency was looking for approach plates. The altitude alerter failed to go off and the first officer who normally calls out 1000' prior to an altitude failed to do so. I climbed through 31800'. Seeing this I immediately began a descent to 31000'. We were level at 31000' when the controller said he showed us 31800' and asked us our altitude. The first officer replied 'level 310'. He also said that we had been having trouble with that transponder, which was true but not in this case. There were no traffic conflicts. Factors: fatigue from interrupted sleep for the pilot and first officer, resulting in poor scan. Improper crew coordination, i.e. Failure to callout approaching altitude. Captain suffering from stress at work due to problems with a subordinate captain. The altitude alerter being inoperative. Dealing with some other minor maintenance problems with the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: new baby in the household, 2 months, making it difficult to sleep. Operation is such that you can be on duty standby for 7 days and be advised by the company you just had your day off if you were not called for a flight. No comment reference the problem with the other captain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTITUDE OVERSHOOT ON CLIMBOUT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO 31000' ENROUTE TO SDF. I (PF) WAS USING THE COM RADIO TO NOTIFY DISPATCH OF OUR ETA AND INQUIRE ABOUT OUR OUTBND ROUTING. THE F/O WHO WAS MONITORING THE CENTER FREQ WAS LOOKING FOR APCH PLATES. THE ALT ALERTER FAILED TO GO OFF AND THE F/O WHO NORMALLY CALLS OUT 1000' PRIOR TO AN ALT FAILED TO DO SO. I CLIMBED THROUGH 31800'. SEEING THIS I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A DSNT TO 31000'. WE WERE LEVEL AT 31000' WHEN THE CTLR SAID HE SHOWED US 31800' AND ASKED US OUR ALT. THE F/O REPLIED 'LEVEL 310'. HE ALSO SAID THAT WE HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THAT TRANSPONDER, WHICH WAS TRUE BUT NOT IN THIS CASE. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS. FACTORS: FATIGUE FROM INTERRUPTED SLEEP FOR THE PLT AND F/O, RESULTING IN POOR SCAN. IMPROPER CREW COORD, I.E. FAILURE TO CALLOUT APCHING ALT. CAPT SUFFERING FROM STRESS AT WORK DUE TO PROBS WITH A SUBORDINATE CAPT. THE ALT ALERTER BEING INOP. DEALING WITH SOME OTHER MINOR MAINT PROBS WITH THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: NEW BABY IN THE HOUSEHOLD, 2 MONTHS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SLEEP. OPERATION IS SUCH THAT YOU CAN BE ON DUTY STANDBY FOR 7 DAYS AND BE ADVISED BY THE COMPANY YOU JUST HAD YOUR DAY OFF IF YOU WERE NOT CALLED FOR A FLT. NO COMMENT REFERENCE THE PROB WITH THE OTHER CAPT.

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.