Narrative:

It was the 4TH leg of the day from stewart field (swf) to syracuse (syr). I was the PF: departure from swf was on runway 1, up to 6000 ft and left to 340 degrees. Climbing through 5500 ft, controller gave us direct hancock VOR (hvr) and I thought I heard 'climb and maintain 10000 ft.' at this time in the cockpit, the captain was reaching over in the cockpit for some reason, either changing frequencys on communication 2 or changing the altitude in the altitude alerter. In any case, I could not see the valve in the altitude alerter. Closing on 6000 ft, I queried the captain as to the altitude, as I could not use it in the alerter. By this time we were at 6000 ft and the captain called the controller to confirm altitude. Unfortunately, several factors caused a possible altitude deviation of approximately 500 ft (6500 ft). I had a high power setting which gave us between 2000- 3000 FPM climb -- since I thought I heard a clearance to 10000 ft, I kept the climb going but reduced it slightly until I confirmed the altitude with the captain. After trying to confirm the altitude with the captain, he was unsure as well and queried the controller. The captain has a slight stutter problem and the exchange of words took longer than it should have. By this time I was closing on approximately 6500 ft. The controller immediately told us to descend to 6000 ft and gave us a vector. I cut the power and descended. The inappropriate (although usual) use of communication 2 to call company blow 10000 ft also could have been a factor. The captain's hand was blocking the altitude alerter -- I would have stayed at 6000 ft if I saw it in the box. I was on my 6TH day of flying and was slightly fatigued. Although I cannot blame the problem on being tired, it may have been a factor. On feb/xx/95 I called new york TRACON and spoke with supervisor as well as mr X, who was the controller on feb/xx/95 for the sector. They said we passed within 3 3/4 mi of an air carrier jet -- said it was no problem and that there was no conflict. I also found out that we were in the middle of being hauled off to ZBW and the controller didn't know if we were with him.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB. POTENTIAL CONFLICT AVOIDED BY ALERT TRACON DEP CTLR INTERVENTION WITH A RADAR VECTOR AND DSCNT CLRNC.

Narrative: IT WAS THE 4TH LEG OF THE DAY FROM STEWART FIELD (SWF) TO SYRACUSE (SYR). I WAS THE PF: DEP FROM SWF WAS ON RWY 1, UP TO 6000 FT AND L TO 340 DEGS. CLBING THROUGH 5500 FT, CTLR GAVE US DIRECT HANCOCK VOR (HVR) AND I THOUGHT I HEARD 'CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT.' AT THIS TIME IN THE COCKPIT, THE CAPT WAS REACHING OVER IN THE COCKPIT FOR SOME REASON, EITHER CHANGING FREQS ON COM 2 OR CHANGING THE ALT IN THE ALT ALERTER. IN ANY CASE, I COULD NOT SEE THE VALVE IN THE ALT ALERTER. CLOSING ON 6000 FT, I QUERIED THE CAPT AS TO THE ALT, AS I COULD NOT USE IT IN THE ALERTER. BY THIS TIME WE WERE AT 6000 FT AND THE CAPT CALLED THE CTLR TO CONFIRM ALT. UNFORTUNATELY, SEVERAL FACTORS CAUSED A POSSIBLE ALTDEV OF APPROX 500 FT (6500 FT). I HAD A HIGH PWR SETTING WHICH GAVE US BTWN 2000- 3000 FPM CLB -- SINCE I THOUGHT I HEARD A CLRNC TO 10000 FT, I KEPT THE CLB GOING BUT REDUCED IT SLIGHTLY UNTIL I CONFIRMED THE ALT WITH THE CAPT. AFTER TRYING TO CONFIRM THE ALT WITH THE CAPT, HE WAS UNSURE AS WELL AND QUERIED THE CTLR. THE CAPT HAS A SLIGHT STUTTER PROB AND THE EXCHANGE OF WORDS TOOK LONGER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE. BY THIS TIME I WAS CLOSING ON APPROX 6500 FT. THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO DSND TO 6000 FT AND GAVE US A VECTOR. I CUT THE PWR AND DSNDED. THE INAPPROPRIATE (ALTHOUGH USUAL) USE OF COM 2 TO CALL COMPANY BLOW 10000 FT ALSO COULD HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. THE CAPT'S HAND WAS BLOCKING THE ALT ALERTER -- I WOULD HAVE STAYED AT 6000 FT IF I SAW IT IN THE BOX. I WAS ON MY 6TH DAY OF FLYING AND WAS SLIGHTLY FATIGUED. ALTHOUGH I CANNOT BLAME THE PROB ON BEING TIRED, IT MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. ON FEB/XX/95 I CALLED NEW YORK TRACON AND SPOKE WITH SUPVR AS WELL AS MR X, WHO WAS THE CTLR ON FEB/XX/95 FOR THE SECTOR. THEY SAID WE PASSED WITHIN 3 3/4 MI OF AN ACR JET -- SAID IT WAS NO PROB AND THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF BEING HAULED OFF TO ZBW AND THE CTLR DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE WITH HIM.

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.