Single pilot IFR in twin freighter overshot assigned altitude in climb.

Attributes
ACN	185533
Time
Date	199107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fod
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zmp
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 1950 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	185533
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After dropping off my passengers at fort dodge, ia, my company redispatched me to pick up some cargo at columbus, northeast. The freight needed to arrive in minneapolis as soon as possible. After checking WX and filing an IFR flight plan, I preflted my aircraft and taxied out for departure. The WX was VFR with scattered to broken clouds around 1500 AGL. I received a clearance to depart runway 06 climb and maintain 3000. I wrote down the runway heading (which I do not normally do) squawk and departure frequency adding the runway heading where I normally write my altitude. An small aircraft departed ahead of me and turned left along my flight path. Unfortunately, it appeared he wasn't maintaining legal cloud separation. I was concerned about the VFR traffic. Being distracted by him, as well as copying my clearance incorrectly, I climbed through my assigned altitude of 3000. ATC advised me of my mistake and I quickly descended to the appropriate altitude. I learned to be consistent in copying clearance (I now use a form). Do not rush. No trip is as important as operating my aircraft legally and safely. Had I waited with my departure, the small aircraft would not have been a traffic factor (irregardless of his visual separation). I will not add to the mistake of others.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT IFR IN TWIN FREIGHTER OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT IN CLB.

Narrative: AFTER DROPPING OFF MY PAXS AT FORT DODGE, IA, MY COMPANY REDISPATCHED ME TO PICK UP SOME CARGO AT COLUMBUS, NE. THE FREIGHT NEEDED TO ARRIVE IN MINNEAPOLIS ASAP. AFTER CHKING WX AND FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN, I PREFLTED MY ACFT AND TAXIED OUT FOR DEP. THE WX WAS VFR WITH SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS AROUND 1500 AGL. I RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DEPART RWY 06 CLB AND MAINTAIN 3000. I WROTE DOWN THE RWY HDG (WHICH I DO NOT NORMALLY DO) SQUAWK AND DEP FREQ ADDING THE RWY HDG WHERE I NORMALLY WRITE MY ALT. AN SMA DEPARTED AHEAD OF ME AND TURNED L ALONG MY FLT PATH. UNFORTUNATELY, IT APPEARED HE WASN'T MAINTAINING LEGAL CLOUD SEPARATION. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE VFR TFC. BEING DISTRACTED BY HIM, AS WELL AS COPYING MY CLRNC INCORRECTLY, I CLBED THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000. ATC ADVISED ME OF MY MISTAKE AND I QUICKLY DSNDED TO THE APPROPRIATE ALT. I LEARNED TO BE CONSISTENT IN COPYING CLRNC (I NOW USE A FORM). DO NOT RUSH. NO TRIP IS AS IMPORTANT AS OPERATING MY ACFT LEGALLY AND SAFELY. HAD I WAITED WITH MY DEP, THE SMA WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A TFC FACTOR (IRREGARDLESS OF HIS VISUAL SEPARATION). I WILL NOT ADD TO THE MISTAKE OF OTHERS.

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.