Narrative:

Our aircraft was originally cleared by ZOB to proceed direct to the mansfield (ohio) VOR and to climb to a cruise altitude of 14000 ft MSL. Upon reaching 14000 ft MSL I configured the aircraft for cruise for our routine flight to fort wayne, in. The aircraft soon flew into an area of light turbulence, so in the interest of passenger comfort we requested a higher altitude with ZOB in hopes of a smoother ride on top of the cloud layer. Cleveland granted our request and cleared us to climb and maintain 16000 ft MSL. At the time of the climb, my captain was on another radio talking with flight watch about possible WX that may lay ahead of us on our route. I initiated the climb from 14000 ft and realized that I had deviated from an ATC clearance when I had climbed to an altitude of 16800 ft, we were cleared to 16000 ft. Upon realizing my error I quickly recovered and descended back to 16000 ft, the total time of deviation lasted no more than approximately 30 seconds. I am a very safe and informed pilot, but I had made a mistake that could have potentially put the crew and passenger in a dangerous situation. Fortunately nothing arose because there were no other aircraft in our immediate vicinity. Since this incident, I have adapted new procedures for myself to hopefully never repeat this type of action. Such actions include: 1) always verbally announce the cleared altitude to myself and visually verify with the altitude selector. 2) query ATC anytime I have a doubt. 3) climb out at reduced rate when I am within 500-1000 ft from an assigned altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE1900 MAINTAINING 14000 FT WHEN ENCOUNTERED TURB AND REQUESTED HIGHER ALT. CLRED TO 16000 FT. CAPT CHKING WX ON ANOTHER FREQ. FO, PF, CLBED TO 16800 FT WHEN REALIZED ERROR AND CORRECTED.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS ORIGINALLY CLRED BY ZOB TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE MANSFIELD (OHIO) VOR AND TO CLB TO A CRUISE ALT OF 14000 FT MSL. UPON REACHING 14000 FT MSL I CONFIGURED THE ACFT FOR CRUISE FOR OUR ROUTINE FLT TO FORT WAYNE, IN. THE ACFT SOON FLEW INTO AN AREA OF LIGHT TURB, SO IN THE INTEREST OF PAX COMFORT WE REQUESTED A HIGHER ALT WITH ZOB IN HOPES OF A SMOOTHER RIDE ON TOP OF THE CLOUD LAYER. CLEVELAND GRANTED OUR REQUEST AND CLRED US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 16000 FT MSL. AT THE TIME OF THE CLB, MY CAPT WAS ON ANOTHER RADIO TALKING WITH FLT WATCH ABOUT POSSIBLE WX THAT MAY LAY AHEAD OF US ON OUR RTE. I INITIATED THE CLB FROM 14000 FT AND REALIZED THAT I HAD DEVIATED FROM AN ATC CLRNC WHEN I HAD CLBED TO AN ALT OF 16800 FT, WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT. UPON REALIZING MY ERROR I QUICKLY RECOVERED AND DSNDED BACK TO 16000 FT, THE TOTAL TIME OF DEV LASTED NO MORE THAN APPROX 30 SECONDS. I AM A VERY SAFE AND INFORMED PLT, BUT I HAD MADE A MISTAKE THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY PUT THE CREW AND PAX IN A DANGEROUS SIT. FORTUNATELY NOTHING AROSE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN OUR IMMEDIATE VICINITY. SINCE THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE ADAPTED NEW PROCS FOR MYSELF TO HOPEFULLY NEVER REPEAT THIS TYPE OF ACTION. SUCH ACTIONS INCLUDE: 1) ALWAYS VERBALLY ANNOUNCE THE CLRED ALT TO MYSELF AND VISUALLY VERIFY WITH THE ALT SELECTOR. 2) QUERY ATC ANYTIME I HAVE A DOUBT. 3) CLB OUT AT REDUCED RATE WHEN I AM WITHIN 500-1000 FT FROM AN ASSIGNED ALT.

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.