Altitude deviation altitude overshot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	238870
Time
Date	199304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bld
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : military pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	238870
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented 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:

This airplane was having navigation and autoplt problems and was on an important mission. I delivered another airplane to las vegas so the mission could be competed. Maintenance was performed, and we filed a flight plan home. During climb out, #1 VOR failed (deviation bar locked up 'centered'). #2 VOR was selected, it worked. My copilot was programming the omega navigation. Traffic was reported to us and we were looking into clouds searching. The above navigation problems occurred approximately the same time as we approached the VOR and our altitude. I missed (failed to note) altitude for 45 seconds and recognized my error at the same time ATC queried me. I reduced power and returned to FL200 (assigned) rapidly 15 seconds. The crew was tired, did not trust the equipment (navigation, autoplt). Incidentally, the autoplt had been selected on about 2 mins before the incident and had failed (trim failure) about 1 min before the incident. While attempting to correct several problems and searching for traffic I flew through my assigned altitude. How to fix it: altitude alerter and better equipment. Don't fly tired.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB.

Narrative: THIS AIRPLANE WAS HAVING NAV AND AUTOPLT PROBS AND WAS ON AN IMPORTANT MISSION. I DELIVERED ANOTHER AIRPLANE TO LAS VEGAS SO THE MISSION COULD BE COMPETED. MAINT WAS PERFORMED, AND WE FILED A FLT PLAN HOME. DURING CLBOUT, #1 VOR FAILED (DEV BAR LOCKED UP 'CTRED'). #2 VOR WAS SELECTED, IT WORKED. MY COPLT WAS PROGRAMMING THE OMEGA NAV. TFC WAS RPTED TO US AND WE WERE LOOKING INTO CLOUDS SEARCHING. THE ABOVE NAV PROBS OCCURRED APPROX THE SAME TIME AS WE APCHED THE VOR AND OUR ALT. I MISSED (FAILED TO NOTE) ALT FOR 45 SECONDS AND RECOGNIZED MY ERROR AT THE SAME TIME ATC QUERIED ME. I REDUCED PWR AND RETURNED TO FL200 (ASSIGNED) RAPIDLY 15 SECONDS. THE CREW WAS TIRED, DID NOT TRUST THE EQUIP (NAV, AUTOPLT). INCIDENTALLY, THE AUTOPLT HAD BEEN SELECTED ON ABOUT 2 MINS BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND HAD FAILED (TRIM FAILURE) ABOUT 1 MIN BEFORE THE INCIDENT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT SEVERAL PROBS AND SEARCHING FOR TFC I FLEW THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT. HOW TO FIX IT: ALT ALERTER AND BETTER EQUIP. DON'T FLY TIRED.

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.