Altitude bust. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	252248
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	252248
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb out just after takeoff, we received an RA on the TCASII to stop climb and descend, about 1000 ft AGL. Target was 2 - 2 1/2 mi and almost same altitude. This was not a problem at the moment. Departure control was in contact with target. The commands on the TCASII were so loud that our 9000 ft warning of approaching 10000 ft (our assigned altitude) was not heard, in addition too much conversation with departure control about the traffic and RA instruction on the TCASII. A turn was given to a southwest heading and climb was continuing, when I saw we were climbing through 10000 ft MSL. I immediately stopped climb at 10400 ft MSL as we broke out on top of the clouds at 10100 ft. No conflict with other traffic happened and nothing was said about it from the controller. Between the PNF not making the 9000 ft for 10000 ft call, and me having to turn to him and ask what the new heading was, and the unusually loud TCASII instruction, my attention was taken away from the altitude for a few moments and helped cause the altitude bust.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT JUST AFTER TKOF, WE RECEIVED AN RA ON THE TCASII TO STOP CLB AND DSND, ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. TARGET WAS 2 - 2 1/2 MI AND ALMOST SAME ALT. THIS WAS NOT A PROB AT THE MOMENT. DEP CTL WAS IN CONTACT WITH TARGET. THE COMMANDS ON THE TCASII WERE SO LOUD THAT OUR 9000 FT WARNING OF APCHING 10000 FT (OUR ASSIGNED ALT) WAS NOT HEARD, IN ADDITION TOO MUCH CONVERSATION WITH DEP CTL ABOUT THE TFC AND RA INSTRUCTION ON THE TCASII. A TURN WAS GIVEN TO A SW HDG AND CLB WAS CONTINUING, WHEN I SAW WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 10000 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED CLB AT 10400 FT MSL AS WE BROKE OUT ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS AT 10100 FT. NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC HAPPENED AND NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT IT FROM THE CTLR. BTWN THE PNF NOT MAKING THE 9000 FT FOR 10000 FT CALL, AND ME HAVING TO TURN TO HIM AND ASK WHAT THE NEW HDG WAS, AND THE UNUSUALLY LOUD TCASII INSTRUCTION, MY ATTN WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE ALT FOR A FEW MOMENTS AND HELPED CAUSE THE ALT BUST.

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.