Flight crew of BE30 climbed through clearance altitude. Altitude deviation altitude overshot.

Attributes
ACN	321780
Time
Date	199511
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : acy
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : acy
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Super King Air 300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	321780
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	321715
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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:

I was flying as PNF on a king air 300 on the acy 246 degree radial, cruise, IMC, we were at a lower altitude (3000 ft), direct we were instructed by ATC to climb to 7000 ft. The captain set the altitude alerter to 7000 ft and engaged the autoplt to climb. As we were approaching 7000 ft, we were instructed to climb to 8000 ft. I reported we were out of 7000 ft for 8000 ft and the captain set in the altitude alerter, what he thought, was 8000 ft (2 clicks). As we were climbing past 8000 ft I quickly noticed his altitude alerter was set to 9000 ft. At that time he asked me to confirm altitude and while I was doing that he adjusted his altitude from 8300 ft to 8000 ft. ATC confirmed our altitude as 8000 ft. No aircraft conflict was involved. Recommendations: our operations manual requires us to do altitude alert calls (1000 ft above and 1000 ft below) but does not mention a method for how to do it. Many of the airlines now have an altitude alert program (point and shot method) and have prescribed actions required by the PF and PNF. I am recommending that we put into place such a program in our operations. Supplemental information from acn 321715: we were climbing to an assigned altitude of 7000 ft. At the same time I became concerned about decreasing power on the left engine. I felt I was distracted by the asymmetrical power situation and misread the altimeter for the altitude set. (The asymmetric power was caused by a misadjusted friction lock.) I feel that the altitude set should not be an integral part of the altimeter to prevent misreading the altitude set.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF BE30 CLBED THROUGH CLRNC ALT. ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AS PNF ON A KING AIR 300 ON THE ACY 246 DEG RADIAL, CRUISE, IMC, WE WERE AT A LOWER ALT (3000 FT), DIRECT WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO CLB TO 7000 FT. THE CAPT SET THE ALT ALERTER TO 7000 FT AND ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT TO CLB. AS WE WERE APCHING 7000 FT, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 8000 FT. I RPTED WE WERE OUT OF 7000 FT FOR 8000 FT AND THE CAPT SET IN THE ALT ALERTER, WHAT HE THOUGHT, WAS 8000 FT (2 CLICKS). AS WE WERE CLBING PAST 8000 FT I QUICKLY NOTICED HIS ALT ALERTER WAS SET TO 9000 FT. AT THAT TIME HE ASKED ME TO CONFIRM ALT AND WHILE I WAS DOING THAT HE ADJUSTED HIS ALT FROM 8300 FT TO 8000 FT. ATC CONFIRMED OUR ALT AS 8000 FT. NO ACFT CONFLICT WAS INVOLVED. RECOMMENDATIONS: OUR OPS MANUAL REQUIRES US TO DO ALT ALERT CALLS (1000 FT ABOVE AND 1000 FT BELOW) BUT DOES NOT MENTION A METHOD FOR HOW TO DO IT. MANY OF THE AIRLINES NOW HAVE AN ALT ALERT PROGRAM (POINT AND SHOT METHOD) AND HAVE PRESCRIBED ACTIONS REQUIRED BY THE PF AND PNF. I AM RECOMMENDING THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE SUCH A PROGRAM IN OUR OPS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 321715: WE WERE CLBING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT DECREASING PWR ON THE L ENG. I FELT I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE ASYMMETRICAL PWR SIT AND MISREAD THE ALTIMETER FOR THE ALT SET. (THE ASYMMETRIC PWR WAS CAUSED BY A MISADJUSTED FRICTION LOCK.) I FEEL THAT THE ALT SET SHOULD NOT BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ALTIMETER TO PREVENT MISREADING THE ALT SET.

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.