Reporter climb to 14400 ft when belatedly assigned 14000 ft during a VFR climb.

Attributes
ACN	294110
Time
Date	199501
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14400
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
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute airway : las
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	294110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
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:

Approximately 15 NM west of las, wbound on IFR flight plan, cleared for VFR climb to 17000 ft assigned heading 270 degrees. While climbing at approximately 3000 FPM through 12800 ft departure suddenly asked us to stop climb and maintain 14000 ft due to 2 F-15's approaching from our 2 O'clock at 16000 ft. Seat belt sign was on , but flight attendants were up and about, preparing for beverage service. We leveled off as soon as we could without putting the flight attendants and serving carts against the ceiling, achieving a maximum altitude of 14400 ft before returning to 14000 ft. TCASII showed minimum vertical separation of 1600 ft, so no conflict existed and departure control made no comment about the altitude. We obtained visual contact with the F-15's passing in front of and above us. Better coordination between, and better situational awareness by departure control/center sectors could have prevented this awkward situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLB TO 14400 FT WHEN BELATEDLY ASSIGNED 14000 FT DURING A VFR CLB.

Narrative: APPROX 15 NM W OF LAS, WBOUND ON IFR FLT PLAN, CLRED FOR VFR CLB TO 17000 FT ASSIGNED HDG 270 DEGS. WHILE CLBING AT APPROX 3000 FPM THROUGH 12800 FT DEP SUDDENLY ASKED US TO STOP CLB AND MAINTAIN 14000 FT DUE TO 2 F-15'S APCHING FROM OUR 2 O'CLOCK AT 16000 FT. SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON , BUT FLT ATTENDANTS WERE UP AND ABOUT, PREPARING FOR BEVERAGE SVC. WE LEVELED OFF AS SOON AS WE COULD WITHOUT PUTTING THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND SERVING CARTS AGAINST THE CEILING, ACHIEVING A MAX ALT OF 14400 FT BEFORE RETURNING TO 14000 FT. TCASII SHOWED MINIMUM VERT SEPARATION OF 1600 FT, SO NO CONFLICT EXISTED AND DEP CTL MADE NO COMMENT ABOUT THE ALT. WE OBTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE F-15'S PASSING IN FRONT OF AND ABOVE US. BETTER COORD BTWN, AND BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BY DEP CTL/CTR SECTORS COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS AWKWARD SIT.

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.