Narrative:

Reserve crew called out early am to ferry aircraft from iad to dca. Takeoff north, runway heading, to maintain 3000' (tower control iad to dca for river visibility). At level off (non standard altitude of 3000'), PF became distracted by PNF asking a question about what NAVAID frequency to tune next. Standard level off altitude is 4000'. Second officer distracted by something else. Altitude alert came on at 3240'. Aircraft had slowly crept up in altitude. Altitude deviation was 350' above assigned altitude when questioned by iad departure control. PF was experienced, but not proficient. PNF was only 100 hours as air carrier pilot. Second officer on 3 months with company. Altitude alert set properly. Departure controller alert. Non standard level-off procedure/clearance. No recent flight time for PF, resulting in very poor scan and inattn to flying the aircraft. Basically, 3 not too proficient pilots flying together. PF in particular should not have flown the first leg. Supplemental information from acn 179938: I believe the main problem here was a pilot who had lost some scan ability because of not flying for over 90 days and a huge time compression factor to complete al the requirements for departure and approach in a short 8-9 min period. We might have been better served if the first officer flew the initial leg. It is usually never just 1 thing that causes a problem, but 1 thing for sure: if you have to rush, mistakes will be made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ALLOWED TO CLIMB 350' ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: RESERVE CREW CALLED OUT EARLY AM TO FERRY ACFT FROM IAD TO DCA. TKOF N, RWY HDG, TO MAINTAIN 3000' (TWR CTL IAD TO DCA FOR RIVER VIS). AT LEVEL OFF (NON STANDARD ALT OF 3000'), PF BECAME DISTRACTED BY PNF ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT NAVAID FREQ TO TUNE NEXT. STANDARD LEVEL OFF ALT IS 4000'. S/O DISTRACTED BY SOMETHING ELSE. ALT ALERT CAME ON AT 3240'. ACFT HAD SLOWLY CREPT UP IN ALT. ALT DEVIATION WAS 350' ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT WHEN QUESTIONED BY IAD DEP CTL. PF WAS EXPERIENCED, BUT NOT PROFICIENT. PNF WAS ONLY 100 HRS AS ACR PLT. S/O ON 3 MONTHS WITH COMPANY. ALT ALERT SET PROPERLY. DEP CTLR ALERT. NON STANDARD LEVEL-OFF PROC/CLRNC. NO RECENT FLT TIME FOR PF, RESULTING IN VERY POOR SCAN AND INATTN TO FLYING THE ACFT. BASICALLY, 3 NOT TOO PROFICIENT PLTS FLYING TOGETHER. PF IN PARTICULAR SHOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN THE FIRST LEG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 179938: I BELIEVE THE MAIN PROB HERE WAS A PLT WHO HAD LOST SOME SCAN ABILITY BECAUSE OF NOT FLYING FOR OVER 90 DAYS AND A HUGE TIME COMPRESSION FACTOR TO COMPLETE AL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEP AND APCH IN A SHORT 8-9 MIN PERIOD. WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN BETTER SERVED IF THE F/O FLEW THE INITIAL LEG. IT IS USUALLY NEVER JUST 1 THING THAT CAUSES A PROB, BUT 1 THING FOR SURE: IF YOU HAVE TO RUSH, MISTAKES WILL BE MADE.

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.