Commuter light transport overshoots assigned altitude on climb out.

Attributes
ACN	276799
Time
Date	199407
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gve
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : dca
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	276799
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to climb to 10000 ft MSL. We set this into our altitude alerter (which is an older model not widely in use in our fleet -- extremely difficult to hear its alarm). Captain was talking to our company on communication 2 while I monitored communication 1. He did not call out 1000 ft and 500 ft prior to level off while he was off frequency. I had convinced myself that we were climbing to our filed altitude of 17000 ft. I even called '10000 ft, lights out' per company procedures over the intercom. The captain turned off the landing lights at that time. Had reached approximately 10700 ft when dulles departure tersely called and transmitted 'you were cleared to 10000 ft.' at that time, in somewhat of a panic, I cycled the transponder then realized that I was in fact above my altitude and quickly returned to 10000 ft. In the past I have been in several planes where the mode C was inaccurate. Subsequent to this altitude excursion, my captain and I have discussed how it could have been avoided. We have determined ourselves to make the 1000 ft and 500 ft calls even if we delay other portions of our workload. Also, the type of altitude alerter installed in the airplane that day is essentially inaudible over the prevailing noise level in the bae 3200. Most of our fleet has a newer, louder version.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT ON CLBOUT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CLB TO 10000 FT MSL. WE SET THIS INTO OUR ALT ALERTER (WHICH IS AN OLDER MODEL NOT WIDELY IN USE IN OUR FLEET -- EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HEAR ITS ALARM). CAPT WAS TALKING TO OUR COMPANY ON COM 2 WHILE I MONITORED COM 1. HE DID NOT CALL OUT 1000 FT AND 500 FT PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF WHILE HE WAS OFF FREQ. I HAD CONVINCED MYSELF THAT WE WERE CLBING TO OUR FILED ALT OF 17000 FT. I EVEN CALLED '10000 FT, LIGHTS OUT' PER COMPANY PROCS OVER THE INTERCOM. THE CAPT TURNED OFF THE LNDG LIGHTS AT THAT TIME. HAD REACHED APPROX 10700 FT WHEN DULLES DEP TERSELY CALLED AND XMITTED 'YOU WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT.' AT THAT TIME, IN SOMEWHAT OF A PANIC, I CYCLED THE XPONDER THEN REALIZED THAT I WAS IN FACT ABOVE MY ALT AND QUICKLY RETURNED TO 10000 FT. IN THE PAST I HAVE BEEN IN SEVERAL PLANES WHERE THE MODE C WAS INACCURATE. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS ALT EXCURSION, MY CAPT AND I HAVE DISCUSSED HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. WE HAVE DETERMINED OURSELVES TO MAKE THE 1000 FT AND 500 FT CALLS EVEN IF WE DELAY OTHER PORTIONS OF OUR WORKLOAD. ALSO, THE TYPE OF ALT ALERTER INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE THAT DAY IS ESSENTIALLY INAUDIBLE OVER THE PREVAILING NOISE LEVEL IN THE BAE 3200. MOST OF OUR FLEET HAS A NEWER, LOUDER VERSION.

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.