Altitude deviation altitude overshot on climb out.

Attributes
ACN	183925
Time
Date	199107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4650
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	183925
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	183999
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified 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 other

Narrative:

Our aircraft had a new TCAS system installed and this was my first trip with this system. The captain was flying, we were cleared to 4000 ft. The TCAS was showing a lot of traffic in our area. The captain and I were looking outside to try and locate traffic that was close to our position, we were in VFR conditions. While we were looking for traffic the captain and I missed the 4000 ft level off and climbed about 600 ft above our assigned altitude. The captain then returned to 4000 ft upon noticing the altitude bust. I think the problem was caused by this being our first trip with TCAS. The captain and I were surprised with how much traffic the TCAS was showing and we were looking outside to try and identify the traffic and missed our altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEV ALT OVERSHOT ON CLB OUT.

Narrative: OUR ACFT HAD A NEW TCAS SYS INSTALLED AND THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP WITH THIS SYS. THE CAPT WAS FLYING, WE WERE CLRED TO 4000 FT. THE TCAS WAS SHOWING A LOT OF TFC IN OUR AREA. THE CAPT AND I WERE LOOKING OUTSIDE TO TRY AND LOCATE TFC THAT WAS CLOSE TO OUR POS, WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS. WHILE WE WERE LOOKING FOR TFC THE CAPT AND I MISSED THE 4000 FT LEVEL OFF AND CLBED ABOUT 600 FT ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT THEN RETURNED TO 4000 FT UPON NOTICING THE ALT BUST. I THINK THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THIS BEING OUR FIRST TRIP WITH TCAS. THE CAPT AND I WERE SURPRISED WITH HOW MUCH TFC THE TCAS WAS SHOWING AND WE WERE LOOKING OUTSIDE TO TRY AND IDENTIFY THE TFC AND MISSED OUR ALT.

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.