Air taxi small transport climbs above assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	276334
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tdg
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	276334
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a federal prison charter from anb to sgf. Departed anb with 1 prisoner and 3 staff. Climbed out and handed off to ZTL on 134.95. Was given 10000 ft as my altitude. At 9000 ft a staff member asked me if he could get up to attend to prisoner. I said it was ok. It was smooth and clear. Resumed flying at 11800 ft realized 10000 ft was climb limit (final altitude was to be 16000 ft). Stopped climb. Initiated call to center. They called first and asked assigned altitude. I said it was 10000 ft, sorry. I was told to maintain present altitude and was handed off to next controller on 134.05. I was then given climb to 16000 ft. Should not have spoken to passenger until level off, although I still should have caught this. Some medical problems with some family members on my mind. Combination of these contributed to me missing climb limit along with 16000 ft as final in my mind. When I don't have to use ADF, I dial in assigned altitudes as a reminder. Need to get separate altitude alerter or write down altitudes in different place. All in all, I screwed up. There was no conflict to my knowledge and I was not informed of any. Before I mailed this, called atl quality assurance. Evidently, there was a conflict but he couldn't tell me how close or who or what it was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI SMT CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON A FEDERAL PRISON CHARTER FROM ANB TO SGF. DEPARTED ANB WITH 1 PRISONER AND 3 STAFF. CLBED OUT AND HANDED OFF TO ZTL ON 134.95. WAS GIVEN 10000 FT AS MY ALT. AT 9000 FT A STAFF MEMBER ASKED ME IF HE COULD GET UP TO ATTEND TO PRISONER. I SAID IT WAS OK. IT WAS SMOOTH AND CLR. RESUMED FLYING AT 11800 FT REALIZED 10000 FT WAS CLB LIMIT (FINAL ALT WAS TO BE 16000 FT). STOPPED CLB. INITIATED CALL TO CTR. THEY CALLED FIRST AND ASKED ASSIGNED ALT. I SAID IT WAS 10000 FT, SORRY. I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT AND WAS HANDED OFF TO NEXT CTLR ON 134.05. I WAS THEN GIVEN CLB TO 16000 FT. SHOULD NOT HAVE SPOKEN TO PAX UNTIL LEVEL OFF, ALTHOUGH I STILL SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS. SOME MEDICAL PROBS WITH SOME FAMILY MEMBERS ON MY MIND. COMBINATION OF THESE CONTRIBUTED TO ME MISSING CLB LIMIT ALONG WITH 16000 FT AS FINAL IN MY MIND. WHEN I DON'T HAVE TO USE ADF, I DIAL IN ASSIGNED ALTS AS A REMINDER. NEED TO GET SEPARATE ALT ALERTER OR WRITE DOWN ALTS IN DIFFERENT PLACE. ALL IN ALL, I SCREWED UP. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND I WAS NOT INFORMED OF ANY. BEFORE I MAILED THIS, CALLED ATL QUALITY ASSURANCE. EVIDENTLY, THERE WAS A CONFLICT BUT HE COULDN'T TELL ME HOW CLOSE OR WHO OR WHAT IT WAS.

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.