An air carrier light transport captain admits that he departed his assigned altitude out of habit.

Attributes
ACN	359580
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	359580
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cruising at 11000 ft waiting for the handoff from msy departure to ZHU and the clearance to 16000 ft. Msy departure gave us 'resume own navigation and contact ZHU.' (we were on an assigned heading.) before we checked in with houston, I began a climb out of habit. Normally we are climbing to 15000 ft, not level at 11000 ft. At 11300 ft, the alert went off, and I stopped the climb.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT CAPT ADMITS THAT HE DEPARTED HIS ASSIGNED ALT OUT OF HABIT.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT 11000 FT WAITING FOR THE HDOF FROM MSY DEP TO ZHU AND THE CLRNC TO 16000 FT. MSY DEP GAVE US 'RESUME OWN NAV AND CONTACT ZHU.' (WE WERE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG.) BEFORE WE CHKED IN WITH HOUSTON, I BEGAN A CLB OUT OF HABIT. NORMALLY WE ARE CLBING TO 15000 FT, NOT LEVEL AT 11000 FT. AT 11300 FT, THE ALERT WENT OFF, AND I STOPPED THE CLB.

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.