Commuter light transport climbs above assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	296197
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cme airport : row
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
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 : 3000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	296197
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 controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed row on an IFR flight plan to abq. The initial clearance cleared us to 10000 ft and to expect 20000 ft 5 or 10 mins after departure. But the captain decided to request 12000 ft as a final because of the winds. The controller was ZAB. When we checked in with ATC, we requested 12000 ft as a final altitude. ATC told us to maintain 10000 ft for traffic. We made visual contact with the traffic and acknowledged it to ATC. With the traffic in sight and no factor, I proceeded to finish our 10000 ft checklist items and to document our out and off times. While I was doing this the captain started a climb to 12000 ft. The altitude alert went off because 10000 ft was set in the altitude box. The captain said to disregard the alert because ATC told us to climb and maintain 12000 ft and the captain then set 12000 ft in the altitude box. I did not hear the ATC response. Once at 12000 ft, we were in radar contact and we were asked to verify our altitude. We replied 12000 ft and ATC said we were only cleared to 10000 ft. During this shift, which started at early am, now late pm, we did experience intermittent problems with our radios, where sometimes ATC would sound very soft and hard to read, and other times would be loud and clear. Contributing factors, faulty equipment and pilot fatigue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ROW ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ABQ. THE INITIAL CLRNC CLRED US TO 10000 FT AND TO EXPECT 20000 FT 5 OR 10 MINS AFTER DEP. BUT THE CAPT DECIDED TO REQUEST 12000 FT AS A FINAL BECAUSE OF THE WINDS. THE CTLR WAS ZAB. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH ATC, WE REQUESTED 12000 FT AS A FINAL ALT. ATC TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT FOR TFC. WE MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TFC AND ACKNOWLEDGED IT TO ATC. WITH THE TFC IN SIGHT AND NO FACTOR, I PROCEEDED TO FINISH OUR 10000 FT CHKLIST ITEMS AND TO DOCUMENT OUR OUT AND OFF TIMES. WHILE I WAS DOING THIS THE CAPT STARTED A CLB TO 12000 FT. THE ALT ALERT WENT OFF BECAUSE 10000 FT WAS SET IN THE ALT BOX. THE CAPT SAID TO DISREGARD THE ALERT BECAUSE ATC TOLD US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT AND THE CAPT THEN SET 12000 FT IN THE ALT BOX. I DID NOT HEAR THE ATC RESPONSE. ONCE AT 12000 FT, WE WERE IN RADAR CONTACT AND WE WERE ASKED TO VERIFY OUR ALT. WE REPLIED 12000 FT AND ATC SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 10000 FT. DURING THIS SHIFT, WHICH STARTED AT EARLY AM, NOW LATE PM, WE DID EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT PROBS WITH OUR RADIOS, WHERE SOMETIMES ATC WOULD SOUND VERY SOFT AND HARD TO READ, AND OTHER TIMES WOULD BE LOUD AND CLR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, FAULTY EQUIP AND PLT FATIGUE.

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.