Narrative:

While on 1 of our company's longest trips (7.7 flight hours and 13 hours of duty time) after an aircraft swap in pit, the aircraft I received was grounded due to maintenance. This delayed our flight 1 1/2 hours. Once underway, one of the deferred items listed in the aircraft log book was the electric trim system. Obviously, we were in a hurry to depart. While taxiing toward the active runway, the tower cleared us for an immediate takeoff on runway 28R and gave us an initial heading of 330 degrees. The pit 1 departure calls for an initial altitude of 4000'. Out of 3000', my first officer announced, 'out of 3000 for 4000.' at that point, I pushed the electric trim switch forward, forgetting the electric trim was inoperative. During this time, both the first officer and I became distracted because of a conversation that was started before the level-off. At 4300', our altitude alert system went off. I immediately reduced power while pushing the nose over and leveled off at 4000'. During the initiation of the level off, ATC contacted us and advised us of our assigned altitude of 4000'. I acknowledged and told him that we were leveling off at 4000'. There were many factors that contributed to this incident. First, we were in a hurry due to our maintenance delay. Complacency was very obvious because I forgot about the inoperative electric trim system. Our sterile cockpit procedures should have eliminated this problem if properly followed. Finally, my altitude awareness was also a factor as the 1000' call was neglected due to our conversation prior to level off. This trip is one of our company's longest and is usually given in a series of morning trips. It begins at early a.M. And usually lasts until late P.M. If you run late, this really minimizes your rest for the next day. Consequently, you feel pressured to make up time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LTT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT ON DEP AT PIT.

Narrative: WHILE ON 1 OF OUR COMPANY'S LONGEST TRIPS (7.7 FLT HRS AND 13 HRS OF DUTY TIME) AFTER AN ACFT SWAP IN PIT, THE ACFT I RECEIVED WAS GNDED DUE TO MAINT. THIS DELAYED OUR FLT 1 1/2 HRS. ONCE UNDERWAY, ONE OF THE DEFERRED ITEMS LISTED IN THE ACFT LOG BOOK WAS THE ELECTRIC TRIM SYS. OBVIOUSLY, WE WERE IN A HURRY TO DEPART. WHILE TAXIING TOWARD THE ACTIVE RWY, THE TWR CLRED US FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF ON RWY 28R AND GAVE US AN INITIAL HDG OF 330 DEGS. THE PIT 1 DEP CALLS FOR AN INITIAL ALT OF 4000'. OUT OF 3000', MY F/O ANNOUNCED, 'OUT OF 3000 FOR 4000.' AT THAT POINT, I PUSHED THE ELECTRIC TRIM SWITCH FORWARD, FORGETTING THE ELECTRIC TRIM WAS INOP. DURING THIS TIME, BOTH THE F/O AND I BECAME DISTRACTED BECAUSE OF A CONVERSATION THAT WAS STARTED BEFORE THE LEVEL-OFF. AT 4300', OUR ALT ALERT SYS WENT OFF. I IMMEDIATELY REDUCED PWR WHILE PUSHING THE NOSE OVER AND LEVELED OFF AT 4000'. DURING THE INITIATION OF THE LEVEL OFF, ATC CONTACTED US AND ADVISED US OF OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE LEVELING OFF AT 4000'. THERE WERE MANY FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. FIRST, WE WERE IN A HURRY DUE TO OUR MAINT DELAY. COMPLACENCY WAS VERY OBVIOUS BECAUSE I FORGOT ABOUT THE INOP ELECTRIC TRIM SYS. OUR STERILE COCKPIT PROCS SHOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THIS PROB IF PROPERLY FOLLOWED. FINALLY, MY ALT AWARENESS WAS ALSO A FACTOR AS THE 1000' CALL WAS NEGLECTED DUE TO OUR CONVERSATION PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF. THIS TRIP IS ONE OF OUR COMPANY'S LONGEST AND IS USUALLY GIVEN IN A SERIES OF MORNING TRIPS. IT BEGINS AT EARLY A.M. AND USUALLY LASTS UNTIL LATE P.M. IF YOU RUN LATE, THIS REALLY MINIMIZES YOUR REST FOR THE NEXT DAY. CONSEQUENTLY, YOU FEEL PRESSURED TO MAKE UP TIME.

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.