Altitude deviation during climb out.

Attributes
ACN	278094
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : mdt
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	278094
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 flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb through 4000 ft MSL the captain asked me to monitored communication #1 while he called company. We were cleared to 5000 ft. As we climbed through 4500 ft I was adjusting the radar as there were thunderstorms in the area. I had to coordination an immediate turn to avoid a cell and as I did this and began the turn, I realized we had climbed to 5800 ft. I immediately descended back to 5000 ft. The controller made no mention of the deviation. The main reasons for this deviation were 1) too high of a workload in that I was flying (no autoplt is installed the jetstream) and adjusting radar and talking on radios and deviating around thunderstorms. 2) the altitude alerter installed on about 20 percent of our fleet is silent, thereby making it virtually useless. 3) the captain should have waited to a lower workload period to talk to company. In the future, I will level off before attempting so many tasks at once.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV DURING CLBOUT.

Narrative: DURING CLB THROUGH 4000 FT MSL THE CAPT ASKED ME TO MONITORED COM #1 WHILE HE CALLED COMPANY. WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT. AS WE CLBED THROUGH 4500 FT I WAS ADJUSTING THE RADAR AS THERE WERE TSTMS IN THE AREA. I HAD TO COORD AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO AVOID A CELL AND AS I DID THIS AND BEGAN THE TURN, I REALIZED WE HAD CLBED TO 5800 FT. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO 5000 FT. THE CTLR MADE NO MENTION OF THE DEV. THE MAIN REASONS FOR THIS DEV WERE 1) TOO HIGH OF A WORKLOAD IN THAT I WAS FLYING (NO AUTOPLT IS INSTALLED THE JETSTREAM) AND ADJUSTING RADAR AND TALKING ON RADIOS AND DEVIATING AROUND TSTMS. 2) THE ALTITUDE ALERTER INSTALLED ON ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF OUR FLEET IS SILENT, THEREBY MAKING IT VIRTUALLY USELESS. 3) THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE WAITED TO A LOWER WORKLOAD PERIOD TO TALK TO COMPANY. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL LEVEL OFF BEFORE ATTEMPTING SO MANY TASKS AT ONCE.

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.