Narrative:

Immediately after takeoff, both air conditioner packs tripped off and could not be reset. First officer advised departure control that we would like to stay with him and maintain 8000 ft. (Our last assigned altitude) to 'check out a little problem.' as we continued climb, I directed first officer to contact company flight control (dispatcher) and ask about the possibility of continuing to destination unpressurized. As we approached 8000 ft the flight attendant in charge called and because of poor quality of interphone, I said to come to cockpit to talk. I had heard her refer to the burning smell in the cabin and I suspected the overheated air conditioner packs. As she knocked on door and entered, I was momentarily distraction and passed 8000 ft by 300-400 ft. I immediately began corrective action and ATC called saying we had gone through our altitude, and 'were we ok?' I made the decision to return to sbn and a normal landing accomplished. By directing first officer to call company so quickly, I 'took him out of loop.' then, when distraction by flight attendant, I had no back-up on altitude monitoring. Cockpit resource management. Supplemental information from acn 285318: ATC informed us we were above our altitude. We descended to 8000 ft and returned to sbn for maintenance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, BOTH AIR CONDITIONER PACKS TRIPPED OFF AND COULD NOT BE RESET. FO ADVISED DEP CTL THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY WITH HIM AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT. (OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT) TO 'CHK OUT A LITTLE PROB.' AS WE CONTINUED CLB, I DIRECTED FO TO CONTACT COMPANY FLT CTL (DISPATCHER) AND ASK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTINUING TO DEST UNPRESSURIZED. AS WE APCHED 8000 FT THE FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE CALLED AND BECAUSE OF POOR QUALITY OF INTERPHONE, I SAID TO COME TO COCKPIT TO TALK. I HAD HEARD HER REFER TO THE BURNING SMELL IN THE CABIN AND I SUSPECTED THE OVERHEATED AIR CONDITIONER PACKS. AS SHE KNOCKED ON DOOR AND ENTERED, I WAS MOMENTARILY DISTR AND PASSED 8000 FT BY 300-400 FT. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CORRECTIVE ACTION AND ATC CALLED SAYING WE HAD GONE THROUGH OUR ALT, AND 'WERE WE OK?' I MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO SBN AND A NORMAL LNDG ACCOMPLISHED. BY DIRECTING FO TO CALL COMPANY SO QUICKLY, I 'TOOK HIM OUT OF LOOP.' THEN, WHEN DISTR BY FLT ATTENDANT, I HAD NO BACK-UP ON ALT MONITORING. COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 285318: ATC INFORMED US WE WERE ABOVE OUR ALT. WE DSNDED TO 8000 FT AND RETURNED TO SBN FOR MAINT.

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.