Air ambulance has altitude deviation on climb out.

Attributes
ACN	295300
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sns
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3550 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	295300
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from sbp, ca, to sjc, ca. Cleared to climb to 14000 ft by ZLA 119.05, switched to ZOA. Was climbing through 14500 ft when questioned by ZOA, then cleared to 16000 ft. Our normal cruising altitude on this route is 16000 ft. Our filed altitude was 16000 ft, and our initial 'expect clearance' altitude was 16000 ft. Both copilot and myself were thinking 16000 ft so neither him or I felt anything was wrong until pointed out by ZOA. Our company normal procedures require a 1000 ft call before level off by PNF. However we thought we were cleared to 16000 ft and no callout was made. Aircraft altitude alert system is small and not very well lit. Also there is no aural or visual warning with this unit. Duty time was approximately 8 hours into a 10 hour day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR AMBULANCE HAS ALTDEV ON CLBOUT.

Narrative: FLT FROM SBP, CA, TO SJC, CA. CLRED TO CLB TO 14000 FT BY ZLA 119.05, SWITCHED TO ZOA. WAS CLBING THROUGH 14500 FT WHEN QUESTIONED BY ZOA, THEN CLRED TO 16000 FT. OUR NORMAL CRUISING ALT ON THIS RTE IS 16000 FT. OUR FILED ALT WAS 16000 FT, AND OUR INITIAL 'EXPECT CLRNC' ALT WAS 16000 FT. BOTH COPLT AND MYSELF WERE THINKING 16000 FT SO NEITHER HIM OR I FELT ANYTHING WAS WRONG UNTIL POINTED OUT BY ZOA. OUR COMPANY NORMAL PROCS REQUIRE A 1000 FT CALL BEFORE LEVEL OFF BY PNF. HOWEVER WE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT AND NO CALLOUT WAS MADE. ACFT ALT ALERT SYS IS SMALL AND NOT VERY WELL LIT. ALSO THERE IS NO AURAL OR VISUAL WARNING WITH THIS UNIT. DUTY TIME WAS APPROX 8 HRS INTO A 10 HR DAY.

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.