Altitude deviation during climb as aircraft transitions to level off.

Attributes
ACN	301910
Time
Date	199504
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	301910
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	301676
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing to 17000 ft captain and first officer called '16 for 17.' the altitude alerter light illuminated at 16200 ft (standard), however the aural alert was inaudible. I was the PNF and was calculating our ETA to pass on to the passenger, who were concerned about their connecting flts. I looked up when I heard the PF say something like 'oh no,' and saw us climbing through 17300 ft. The PF was already starting a descend, however we reached 17400 ft before the aircraft descended. The controller asked us about our altitude and we had already descended back to 17000 ft. We were in VFR conditions and saw no other aircraft in our vicinity, visually or on TCASII. Flight continued to destination with no further incidents. We were fatigued, having had a XA30 am departure from the hotel, a 1:40 delay in our first leg due to fog at our destination. This was our 4TH leg of a 6 leg scheduled day, with all our ground stops being short and hurried to try to return to schedule. Next time I'll pay attention to the aircraft until we are leveled off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV DURING CLB AS ACFT TRANSITIONS TO LEVEL OFF.

Narrative: CLBING TO 17000 FT CAPT AND FO CALLED '16 FOR 17.' THE ALT ALERTER LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT 16200 FT (STANDARD), HOWEVER THE AURAL ALERT WAS INAUDIBLE. I WAS THE PNF AND WAS CALCULATING OUR ETA TO PASS ON TO THE PAX, WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CONNECTING FLTS. I LOOKED UP WHEN I HEARD THE PF SAY SOMETHING LIKE 'OH NO,' AND SAW US CLBING THROUGH 17300 FT. THE PF WAS ALREADY STARTING A DSND, HOWEVER WE REACHED 17400 FT BEFORE THE ACFT DSNDED. THE CTLR ASKED US ABOUT OUR ALT AND WE HAD ALREADY DSNDED BACK TO 17000 FT. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AND SAW NO OTHER ACFT IN OUR VICINITY, VISUALLY OR ON TCASII. FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. WE WERE FATIGUED, HAVING HAD A XA30 AM DEP FROM THE HOTEL, A 1:40 DELAY IN OUR FIRST LEG DUE TO FOG AT OUR DEST. THIS WAS OUR 4TH LEG OF A 6 LEG SCHEDULED DAY, WITH ALL OUR GND STOPS BEING SHORT AND HURRIED TO TRY TO RETURN TO SCHEDULE. NEXT TIME I'LL PAY ATTN TO THE ACFT UNTIL WE ARE LEVELED OFF.

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.