Air carrier flight crew climbs through assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	173390
Time
Date	199103
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rzc
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	173309
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	173389
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	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:

During climb to FL330, captain misread his altimeter, overshooting the assigned flight level. Normal altitude callouts were made; however, as we approached the assigned altitude, ATC issued a revised routing diverting my attention. After receiving the new routing, I looked up at my altimeter, initially thinking we were still climbing to FL330. However, in reality, we had already passed that flight level and were heading for the next one. One major distraction was the revised ATC routing received as we were about to begin the level-off. After simultaneously realizing the error, the captain returned to the assigned flight level. Next time level off and an ATC clearance occur at the same time, more attention will be paid to the altitude. I am the only backup in the 2-M cockpit. ATC should also be aware that issuing revised clrncs as an aircraft approachs an assigned flight level can be a major distraction for both pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW CLIMBS THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO FL330, CAPT MISREAD HIS ALTIMETER, OVERSHOOTING THE ASSIGNED FLT LEVEL. NORMAL ALT CALLOUTS WERE MADE; HOWEVER, AS WE APCHED THE ASSIGNED ALT, ATC ISSUED A REVISED RTING DIVERTING MY ATTN. AFTER RECEIVING THE NEW RTING, I LOOKED UP AT MY ALTIMETER, INITIALLY THINKING WE WERE STILL CLBING TO FL330. HOWEVER, IN REALITY, WE HAD ALREADY PASSED THAT FLT LEVEL AND WERE HDG FOR THE NEXT ONE. ONE MAJOR DISTR WAS THE REVISED ATC RTING RECEIVED AS WE WERE ABOUT TO BEGIN THE LEVEL-OFF. AFTER SIMULTANEOUSLY REALIZING THE ERROR, THE CAPT RETURNED TO THE ASSIGNED FLT LEVEL. NEXT TIME LEVEL OFF AND AN ATC CLRNC OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME, MORE ATTN WILL BE PAID TO THE ALT. I AM THE ONLY BACKUP IN THE 2-M COCKPIT. ATC SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT ISSUING REVISED CLRNCS AS AN ACFT APCHS AN ASSIGNED FLT LEVEL CAN BE A MAJOR DISTR FOR BOTH PLTS.

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.