Excursion from assigned high altitude cruise due to poor cockpit coordination.

Attributes
ACN	282307
Time
Date	199409
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bty
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	282307
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	unspecified : 12000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Had received clearance to FL390, expect FL410 in 10 mins. Autoplt was engaged with altitude hold on. I was looking up the arrival for phx when the captain placed FL410 in the altitude alerter. He stated we were cleared to FL410. I asked if I had missed a radio call clearing us to FL410. He said yes, I had, and refused to check with center controller. At FL398 we were issued a heading for traffic conflict. Captain asked center if he wanted us at FL390 or FL410. No response. I descended aircraft to FL390 on the avoidance heading. Center notified captain to call from destination to center supervisor. The captain was counseled last week about cockpit resource management and being alert during aircraft operations. While he has made considerable gains in cockpit resource management, he still has concentration problems in the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED HIGH ALT CRUISE DUE TO POOR COCKPIT COORD.

Narrative: HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL390, EXPECT FL410 IN 10 MINS. AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED WITH ALT HOLD ON. I WAS LOOKING UP THE ARR FOR PHX WHEN THE CAPT PLACED FL410 IN THE ALT ALERTER. HE STATED WE WERE CLRED TO FL410. I ASKED IF I HAD MISSED A RADIO CALL CLRING US TO FL410. HE SAID YES, I HAD, AND REFUSED TO CHK WITH CTR CTLR. AT FL398 WE WERE ISSUED A HDG FOR TFC CONFLICT. CAPT ASKED CTR IF HE WANTED US AT FL390 OR FL410. NO RESPONSE. I DSNDED ACFT TO FL390 ON THE AVOIDANCE HDG. CTR NOTIFIED CAPT TO CALL FROM DEST TO CTR SUPVR. THE CAPT WAS COUNSELED LAST WK ABOUT COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT AND BEING ALERT DURING ACFT OPS. WHILE HE HAS MADE CONSIDERABLE GAINS IN COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT, HE STILL HAS CONCENTRATION PROBS IN THE ACFT.

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.