Altitude bust creates a potential conflict with less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	157587
Time
Date	199009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3350
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	157587
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	157580
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After level-off at 3000' and starting cleanup and accelerating to 250 KTS (see copy of air carrier chart for departure at santa ana--it's insane), controller called traffic at 1 O'clock flying along the coast at 3500'. I glanced up from gauges and as nose dropped during cleanup, traffic was sighted and appeared to be headed toward us. At this time both I and the copilot became more concerned with avoiding the traffic than with maintaining our altitude watch. Controller called and said, 'air carrier xy, maintain 3000'.' this called our attention back into the cockpit and altitude read 3350' and I pushed over to descend to 3000'. Controller said, 'you rang the bell; maintain visibility sep with traffic.' by this time traffic was at 1 O'clock. This was my fourth time (leg) in the large transport with 400 hours in similar type widebody transport. It was also my first 'east-ticket ride' on the santa ana airport. My main concern was traffic avoidance that I could actually see. Should have had copilot track traffic and remain on the gauges. However, the traffic was so close I maintained visibility contact to take evasive action if needed. The controller was sharp--gave me the hint to maintain 3000', but was too late.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST CREATES A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: AFTER LEVEL-OFF AT 3000' AND STARTING CLEANUP AND ACCELERATING TO 250 KTS (SEE COPY OF ACR CHART FOR DEP AT SANTA ANA--IT'S INSANE), CTLR CALLED TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK FLYING ALONG THE COAST AT 3500'. I GLANCED UP FROM GAUGES AND AS NOSE DROPPED DURING CLEANUP, TFC WAS SIGHTED AND APPEARED TO BE HEADED TOWARD US. AT THIS TIME BOTH I AND THE COPLT BECAME MORE CONCERNED WITH AVOIDING THE TFC THAN WITH MAINTAINING OUR ALT WATCH. CTLR CALLED AND SAID, 'ACR XY, MAINTAIN 3000'.' THIS CALLED OUR ATTN BACK INTO THE COCKPIT AND ALT READ 3350' AND I PUSHED OVER TO DSND TO 3000'. CTLR SAID, 'YOU RANG THE BELL; MAINTAIN VIS SEP WITH TFC.' BY THIS TIME TFC WAS AT 1 O'CLOCK. THIS WAS MY FOURTH TIME (LEG) IN THE LGT WITH 400 HRS IN SIMILAR TYPE WDB. IT WAS ALSO MY FIRST 'E-TICKET RIDE' ON THE SANTA ANA ARPT. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS TFC AVOIDANCE THAT I COULD ACTUALLY SEE. SHOULD HAVE HAD COPLT TRACK TFC AND REMAIN ON THE GAUGES. HOWEVER, THE TFC WAS SO CLOSE I MAINTAINED VIS CONTACT TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION IF NEEDED. THE CTLR WAS SHARP--GAVE ME THE HINT TO MAINTAIN 3000', BUT WAS TOO LATE.

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.