Altitude deviation on climb. Overshot altitude when discussing takeoff technique.

Attributes
ACN	322610
Time
Date	199512
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mkc
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mkc tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commander 500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 5545 flight time type : 3494
ASRS Report	322610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
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:

After departing mkc we were instructed by tower to contact departure, who in turn gave us the following, 'cleared on course, maintain 4000 ft.' my sic, first officer, was flying at the time and I was operating radios. Both my first officer and I understood that we were to maintain 4000 ft, however due to distractions in the cockpit (my first officer and I were discussing his takeoff technique), neither one of us realized we had passed 4000 ft until approach asked our altitude. At that time we were passing 4500 ft. I immediately lowered the nose and returned to 4000 ft approximately 30 seconds later. We reached 4600 ft before we reacted and started our descent back to 4000 ft. Reporting to approach we were level at 4000 ft, no further communication about our deviation was relayed between ATC and us. I do not believe that our deviation created any conflict with other traffic. I believe in the future, I will adhere to the policy of a sterile cockpit during climbs, dscnts, takeoffs, approachs and lndgs. This deviation could have been avoided had we not been distracted by our conversation which really was not an important issue at that time and could have been discussed later.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON CLB. OVERSHOT ALT WHEN DISCUSSING TKOF TECHNIQUE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING MKC WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY TWR TO CONTACT DEP, WHO IN TURN GAVE US THE FOLLOWING, 'CLRED ON COURSE, MAINTAIN 4000 FT.' MY SIC, FO, WAS FLYING AT THE TIME AND I WAS OPERATING RADIOS. BOTH MY FO AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT, HOWEVER DUE TO DISTRACTIONS IN THE COCKPIT (MY FO AND I WERE DISCUSSING HIS TKOF TECHNIQUE), NEITHER ONE OF US REALIZED WE HAD PASSED 4000 FT UNTIL APCH ASKED OUR ALT. AT THAT TIME WE WERE PASSING 4500 FT. I IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE NOSE AND RETURNED TO 4000 FT APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER. WE REACHED 4600 FT BEFORE WE REACTED AND STARTED OUR DSCNT BACK TO 4000 FT. RPTING TO APCH WE WERE LEVEL AT 4000 FT, NO FURTHER COM ABOUT OUR DEV WAS RELAYED BTWN ATC AND US. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT OUR DEV CREATED ANY CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. I BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ADHERE TO THE POLICY OF A STERILE COCKPIT DURING CLBS, DSCNTS, TKOFS, APCHS AND LNDGS. THIS DEV COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD WE NOT BEEN DISTRACTED BY OUR CONVERSATION WHICH REALLY WAS NOT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AT THAT TIME AND COULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED LATER.

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.