Air carrier crew distraction by multiple TCAS ii alerts climbs above assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	169453
Time
Date	199101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute airway : atl
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	169453
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My role in this flight was line check captain. I was in the right seat performing the duties of a first officer. In the left seat was a new captain undergoing IOE as a new captain. I was flying the plane that leg so that he might gain experience doing the non flying duties while the first officer flew the plane. At 9500' climbing TCAS ii called out traffic at our 9 O'clock position. The new captain looked as did I and the second officer. The TCAS ii then called out traffic again at least 3 more times at our same altitude and closing. We never saw the traffic and in the process I let the plane climb to 10300' before returning to 10000'; (the SID altitude). Problem caused by frequent TCAS ii alert. No automatic altitude capture feature on autoplt. Captain trnee in left seat. PF being distraction by TCAS ii alerts. Concern for the possibility of evasive action to avoid traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW DISTR BY MULTIPLE TCAS II ALERTS CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: MY ROLE IN THIS FLT WAS LINE CHK CAPT. I WAS IN THE R SEAT PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF A F/O. IN THE L SEAT WAS A NEW CAPT UNDERGOING IOE AS A NEW CAPT. I WAS FLYING THE PLANE THAT LEG SO THAT HE MIGHT GAIN EXPERIENCE DOING THE NON FLYING DUTIES WHILE THE F/O FLEW THE PLANE. AT 9500' CLBING TCAS II CALLED OUT TFC AT OUR 9 O'CLOCK POS. THE NEW CAPT LOOKED AS DID I AND THE S/O. THE TCAS II THEN CALLED OUT TFC AGAIN AT LEAST 3 MORE TIMES AT OUR SAME ALT AND CLOSING. WE NEVER SAW THE TFC AND IN THE PROCESS I LET THE PLANE CLB TO 10300' BEFORE RETURNING TO 10000'; (THE SID ALT). PROB CAUSED BY FREQUENT TCAS II ALERT. NO AUTO ALT CAPTURE FEATURE ON AUTOPLT. CAPT TRNEE IN L SEAT. PF BEING DISTR BY TCAS II ALERTS. CONCERN FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID TFC.

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.