Narrative:

We were on climb out and being vectored after departing abc airport. We had leveled off at the appropriate altitude for the SID and climb checklist had been completed. We were then cleared to 4000 ft. Passing 3000 ft the standard '1000 ft to go ' call was made and acknowledged between PF and PNF. The captain (PF) then instructed me to call operations. I started to tune the other radio and while doing this, I noticed we were going through our assigned altitude. I called out the altitude and the captain started to descend back down to 4000 ft. Maximum overshoot was 300-350 ft. Another aircraft was passing almost directly overhead at 5000 ft. I had the other aircraft in sight so there was no danger of collision, just a loss of standard separation. It needs to be stressed to flcs the importance of the sterile cockpit rules and procedures. It was unnecessary for us to call operations so soon after takeoff. For whatever reason, the PF overshot the altitude, but my starting other chores didn't help the situation, because I couldn't do my real job -- backing up the PF. Had I been solely monitoring the flying, the overshoot would have been much less or possibly wouldn't have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR CARRIER CLBS THROUGH CLRED ALT OF 4000 FT WHEN FO RPTR IS ASKED BY CAPT TO CONTACT COMPANY OPS, AND IS UNABLE TO BACK UP CAPT FLYING ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON CLBOUT AND BEING VECTORED AFTER DEPARTING ABC ARPT. WE HAD LEVELED OFF AT THE APPROPRIATE ALT FOR THE SID AND CLB CHKLIST HAD BEEN COMPLETED. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 4000 FT. PASSING 3000 FT THE STANDARD '1000 FT TO GO ' CALL WAS MADE AND ACKNOWLEDGED BTWN PF AND PNF. THE CAPT (PF) THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL OPS. I STARTED TO TUNE THE OTHER RADIO AND WHILE DOING THIS, I NOTICED WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR ASSIGNED ALT. I CALLED OUT THE ALT AND THE CAPT STARTED TO DSND BACK DOWN TO 4000 FT. MAX OVERSHOOT WAS 300-350 FT. ANOTHER ACFT WAS PASSING ALMOST DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AT 5000 FT. I HAD THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT SO THERE WAS NO DANGER OF COLLISION, JUST A LOSS OF STANDARD SEPARATION. IT NEEDS TO BE STRESSED TO FLCS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STERILE COCKPIT RULES AND PROCS. IT WAS UNNECESSARY FOR US TO CALL OPS SO SOON AFTER TKOF. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE PF OVERSHOT THE ALT, BUT MY STARTING OTHER CHORES DIDN'T HELP THE SITUATION, BECAUSE I COULDN'T DO MY REAL JOB -- BACKING UP THE PF. HAD I BEEN SOLELY MONITORING THE FLYING, THE OVERSHOOT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH LESS OR POSSIBLY WOULDN'T HAVE OCCURRED.

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.