Narrative:

Captain was flying and supposed to level at FL230. At FL220, I made the standard 1000 ft to go call which captain acknowledged. I then looked down to FLIP approach plates to arrival airport and read advisory page. Destination was wilkes barre- scranton airport, a special use airport per air carrier due to high terrain around airport. I just started looking over the advisory page when altitude warning went off. I looked up and we were already 300 ft high. By the time recovery was started, we went 500 ft high. Contributing factors: captain came from aircraft with automatic capture for altitude about 2 months earlier. I think he forgot that he had to level aircraft off manually (from medium large transport Y to medium large transport X). Fatigue: I think fatigue played a big factor. We had a 14 hour duty day the day before with min rest and an early show the day of event. We even have to drive ourselves to the hotel in elmira, ny. This is a typical medium large transport X trip at my airline. First officer: I should know better than to trust another crewmember, captain, to fly as diligently as I would. I should have been watching his every move. Altimeter: the altimeters in these old jets are very difficult to read. They display more than the current altitude you are passing through. You have to stop and study altimeter and vsi. Takes too long.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING AND SUPPOSED TO LEVEL AT FL230. AT FL220, I MADE THE STANDARD 1000 FT TO GO CALL WHICH CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED. I THEN LOOKED DOWN TO FLIP APCH PLATES TO ARR ARPT AND READ ADVISORY PAGE. DEST WAS WILKES BARRE- SCRANTON ARPT, A SPECIAL USE ARPT PER ACR DUE TO HIGH TERRAIN AROUND ARPT. I JUST STARTED LOOKING OVER THE ADVISORY PAGE WHEN ALT WARNING WENT OFF. I LOOKED UP AND WE WERE ALREADY 300 FT HIGH. BY THE TIME RECOVERY WAS STARTED, WE WENT 500 FT HIGH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CAPT CAME FROM ACFT WITH AUTO CAPTURE FOR ALT ABOUT 2 MONTHS EARLIER. I THINK HE FORGOT THAT HE HAD TO LEVEL ACFT OFF MANUALLY (FROM MLG Y TO MLG X). FATIGUE: I THINK FATIGUE PLAYED A BIG FACTOR. WE HAD A 14 HR DUTY DAY THE DAY BEFORE WITH MIN REST AND AN EARLY SHOW THE DAY OF EVENT. WE EVEN HAVE TO DRIVE OURSELVES TO THE HOTEL IN ELMIRA, NY. THIS IS A TYPICAL MLG X TRIP AT MY AIRLINE. FO: I SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO TRUST ANOTHER CREWMEMBER, CAPT, TO FLY AS DILIGENTLY AS I WOULD. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING HIS EVERY MOVE. ALTIMETER: THE ALTIMETERS IN THESE OLD JETS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ. THEY DISPLAY MORE THAN THE CURRENT ALT YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH. YOU HAVE TO STOP AND STUDY ALTIMETER AND VSI. TAKES TOO LONG.

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.