The flight crew climbed 500 ft above their assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	337730
Time
Date	199605
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : alb
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	337730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	337422
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
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:

Assigned altitude 9000 ft during departure from albany vectored west of small rain shower north and east of airport. First officer was flying, operation was normal through 8000 ft. He seemed distraction at that point (hand flying) with the flight director mode. His actions allowed aircraft to pass assigned altitude. He corrected back to 9000 ft after reaching approximately 9400 ft. No conflicting traffic was observed visually or by TCASII. I counselled him that he should devote his full attention to flying the aircraft and to instruct the PNF to make any changes desired in the flight director modes. Supplemental information from acn 337422: distraction by pre departure clearance which at the time I was unable to engage because of a failure in the system itself. High rate of climb due to light aircraft. When I noticed altitude again we were passing through 9300 ft leveled by 9500 ft and descended back to 9000 ft. Should have been more involved in flying aircraft instead of trying to engage the pre departure clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC CLBED 500 FT ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ASSIGNED ALT 9000 FT DURING DEP FROM ALBANY VECTORED W OF SMALL RAIN SHOWER N AND E OF ARPT. FO WAS FLYING, OP WAS NORMAL THROUGH 8000 FT. HE SEEMED DISTR AT THAT POINT (HAND FLYING) WITH THE FLT DIRECTOR MODE. HIS ACTIONS ALLOWED ACFT TO PASS ASSIGNED ALT. HE CORRECTED BACK TO 9000 FT AFTER REACHING APPROX 9400 FT. NO CONFLICTING TFC WAS OBSERVED VISUALLY OR BY TCASII. I COUNSELLED HIM THAT HE SHOULD DEVOTE HIS FULL ATTN TO FLYING THE ACFT AND TO INSTRUCT THE PNF TO MAKE ANY CHANGES DESIRED IN THE FLT DIRECTOR MODES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 337422: DISTR BY PDC WHICH AT THE TIME I WAS UNABLE TO ENGAGE BECAUSE OF A FAILURE IN THE SYS ITSELF. HIGH RATE OF CLB DUE TO LIGHT ACFT. WHEN I NOTICED ALT AGAIN WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 9300 FT LEVELED BY 9500 FT AND DSNDED BACK TO 9000 FT. SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INVOLVED IN FLYING ACFT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO ENGAGE THE PDC.

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.