Altitude bust. Flight crew distraction.

Attributes
ACN	261526
Time
Date	199401
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ubg
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SA-227 AC Metro III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	261526
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6150
ASRS Report	262650
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
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:

The captain and I were flying from eugene to seattle in a sa-227, metropolitan III (eug cvo direct ubg direct olm OLM1 sea). We were climbing to our cruise altitude of FL180. Approximately 2 mins after leveling off (no autoplt), I glanced down at some paperwork and the airplane continued to climb. The altitude alerter failed to go off. I was not paying proper attention. When I looked up I simply leveled off at FL190. As soon as I did so, I realized my mistake. Simultaneously, the controller questioned my altitude at FL190. I put the transponder on standby and the captain replied we were at FL180. We then immediately descended to FL180 and turned the transponder back on. During the ordeal, we changed controllers and passed ubg VOR. We were about 25 mi late in making a slight turn to the left after the VOR. The following controller asked us about our course and we then corrected. The flight continued smoothly after that. Supplemental information from acn 262650: at this time, we were crossing ubg VOR and, in the confusion, we were late in making a 10 degree heading change for olm VOR. This was due to a clearance change of direct olm after ubg instead of our filed route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST. FLC DISTR.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I WERE FLYING FROM EUGENE TO SEATTLE IN A SA-227, METRO III (EUG CVO DIRECT UBG DIRECT OLM OLM1 SEA). WE WERE CLBING TO OUR CRUISE ALT OF FL180. APPROX 2 MINS AFTER LEVELING OFF (NO AUTOPLT), I GLANCED DOWN AT SOME PAPERWORK AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO CLB. THE ALT ALERTER FAILED TO GO OFF. I WAS NOT PAYING PROPER ATTN. WHEN I LOOKED UP I SIMPLY LEVELED OFF AT FL190. AS SOON AS I DID SO, I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE CTLR QUESTIONED MY ALT AT FL190. I PUT THE XPONDER ON STANDBY AND THE CAPT REPLIED WE WERE AT FL180. WE THEN IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO FL180 AND TURNED THE XPONDER BACK ON. DURING THE ORDEAL, WE CHANGED CTLRS AND PASSED UBG VOR. WE WERE ABOUT 25 MI LATE IN MAKING A SLIGHT TURN TO THE L AFTER THE VOR. THE FOLLOWING CTLR ASKED US ABOUT OUR COURSE AND WE THEN CORRECTED. THE FLT CONTINUED SMOOTHLY AFTER THAT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262650: AT THIS TIME, WE WERE XING UBG VOR AND, IN THE CONFUSION, WE WERE LATE IN MAKING A 10 DEG HDG CHANGE FOR OLM VOR. THIS WAS DUE TO A CLRNC CHANGE OF DIRECT OLM AFTER UBG INSTEAD OF OUR FILED RTE.

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.