Flight crew of air carrier light transport aircraft overshot clearance climb altitude due to radio f...

Attributes
ACN	218477
Time
Date	199208
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bnw
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 680
ASRS Report	218477
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	218787
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing bna we were assigned various altitudes (4000, 5000, 7000 then 14000 ft) on our way up to our cruising altitude of 15000 ft. After leveling at 7000 ft we were cleared to 14000 ft with a clearance out of 9000 ft to proceed direct tys. We were then handed off to mem center. After waiting for a number of mins for a chance to check-in due to frequency congestion, we were immediately asked our assigned altitude. We replied 14000 ft. He said departure usually hands off their traffic at 11000 ft. There was no traffic conflict and no other mention was made. Had the frequency not been so saturated, we would've been able to check-in sooner and therefore alleviated what could have been a serious incident. Also contributing to this event was my attention being distraction as I was navigating around cells in the area. This took me out of the 'loop' and prevented me from actually hearing the clearance to 14000 ft. The captain was sure of the 14000 ft clearance but the mem center controller sounded surprised and thus raised concern on our part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR LTT ACFT OVERSHOT CLRNC CLB ALT DUE TO RADIO FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: DEPARTING BNA WE WERE ASSIGNED VARIOUS ALTS (4000, 5000, 7000 THEN 14000 FT) ON OUR WAY UP TO OUR CRUISING ALT OF 15000 FT. AFTER LEVELING AT 7000 FT WE WERE CLRED TO 14000 FT WITH A CLRNC OUT OF 9000 FT TO PROCEED DIRECT TYS. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO MEM CTR. AFTER WAITING FOR A NUMBER OF MINS FOR A CHANCE TO CHK-IN DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY ASKED OUR ASSIGNED ALT. WE REPLIED 14000 FT. HE SAID DEP USUALLY HANDS OFF THEIR TFC AT 11000 FT. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND NO OTHER MENTION WAS MADE. HAD THE FREQ NOT BEEN SO SATURATED, WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHK-IN SOONER AND THEREFORE ALLEVIATED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS INCIDENT. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EVENT WAS MY ATTN BEING DISTR AS I WAS NAVIGATING AROUND CELLS IN THE AREA. THIS TOOK ME OUT OF THE 'LOOP' AND PREVENTED ME FROM ACTUALLY HEARING THE CLRNC TO 14000 FT. THE CAPT WAS SURE OF THE 14000 FT CLRNC BUT THE MEM CTR CTLR SOUNDED SURPRISED AND THUS RAISED CONCERN ON OUR PART.

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.

Flight crew of air carrier light transport aircraft overshot clearance climb altitude due to radio frequency congestion.