Narrative:

The first officer was flying this leg from mdw to mci. It was a cold day with a light passenger load, so the aircraft was climbing faster than usual during climb out. Takeoff and initial departure were normal. Company procedure is to perform the after takeoff check from memory as soon as flaps are retracted, then refer to the checklist after passing 10000 ft MSL. At this point we also call our departure information back to the departure station on the company frequency. Passing 10000 ft, I accomplished the after takeoff check with reference to the checklist. We had been cleared to climb to 12000 ft. As I was compiling information for the call to company, I heard the altitude alerter sound as we passed 11000 ft. I did not notice that the first officer, as PF, did not make the required announcement of 'passing 11000 ft for 12000 ft.' next I heard the altitude alerter warning for exceeded altitude as we passed 12300 ft. I directed the first officer to level at 12000 ft and the climb was finally stopped at 12800 ft. We then returned to 12000 ft. There was no comment from ATC. The first officer had thought we were cleared to FL230 despite having acknowledged my setting the altitude alerter at 12000 ft. My preoccupation prevented me from noticing his failure to begin the leveloff as we passed 11000 ft. When the clearance requires a leveloff soon after passing 10000 ft, duties such as checklist cleanup and company radio calls should be postponed until the leveloff is assured, or clearance to a higher altitude is received. Such duties, while necessary, distract from control of the aircraft which must remain primary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 CLBING TO 12000 FT. FO, PF, FAILED TO FOLLOW SOP AND CALL ALT LEAVING 11000 FT. CAPT WAS DOING CHKLIST OUT OF 10000 FT PER SOP AND NOTED ALT 12300 FT. FO THOUGHT CLRED TO FL230. NO COMMENT FROM DEP CTLR.

Narrative: THE FO WAS FLYING THIS LEG FROM MDW TO MCI. IT WAS A COLD DAY WITH A LIGHT PAX LOAD, SO THE ACFT WAS CLBING FASTER THAN USUAL DURING CLBOUT. TKOF AND INITIAL DEP WERE NORMAL. COMPANY PROC IS TO PERFORM THE AFTER TKOF CHK FROM MEMORY AS SOON AS FLAPS ARE RETRACTED, THEN REFER TO THE CHKLIST AFTER PASSING 10000 FT MSL. AT THIS POINT WE ALSO CALL OUR DEP INFO BACK TO THE DEP STATION ON THE COMPANY FREQ. PASSING 10000 FT, I ACCOMPLISHED THE AFTER TKOF CHK WITH REF TO THE CHKLIST. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO CLB TO 12000 FT. AS I WAS COMPILING INFO FOR THE CALL TO COMPANY, I HEARD THE ALT ALERTER SOUND AS WE PASSED 11000 FT. I DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE FO, AS PF, DID NOT MAKE THE REQUIRED ANNOUNCEMENT OF 'PASSING 11000 FT FOR 12000 FT.' NEXT I HEARD THE ALT ALERTER WARNING FOR EXCEEDED ALT AS WE PASSED 12300 FT. I DIRECTED THE FO TO LEVEL AT 12000 FT AND THE CLB WAS FINALLY STOPPED AT 12800 FT. WE THEN RETURNED TO 12000 FT. THERE WAS NO COMMENT FROM ATC. THE FO HAD THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO FL230 DESPITE HAVING ACKNOWLEDGED MY SETTING THE ALT ALERTER AT 12000 FT. MY PREOCCUPATION PREVENTED ME FROM NOTICING HIS FAILURE TO BEGIN THE LEVELOFF AS WE PASSED 11000 FT. WHEN THE CLRNC REQUIRES A LEVELOFF SOON AFTER PASSING 10000 FT, DUTIES SUCH AS CHKLIST CLEANUP AND COMPANY RADIO CALLS SHOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL THE LEVELOFF IS ASSURED, OR CLRNC TO A HIGHER ALT IS RECEIVED. SUCH DUTIES, WHILE NECESSARY, DISTRACT FROM CTL OF THE ACFT WHICH MUST REMAIN PRIMARY.

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.