Narrative:

Level at 15000 ft, ZTL cleared us pilot's discretion to 11000 ft and gave us the new altimeter setting. The first officer set 11000 ft in the altitude select window. When I put the new altimeter setting in the kolsman window, I noticed we were at 14800 ft. I wanted to stay at 15000 ft longer due to cloud tops, so with the autoplt engaged, I hit the 'climb' mode, expecting it to climb to 15000 ft. With 11000 ft in the altitude select window, the autoplt just continued climbing. At the time I hit the climb mode, the flight attendant came to the cockpit to see if we needed anything. After this distraction, the first officer caught us climbing through 16000 ft. We immediately descended back to 15000 ft. 7 hours (7 yrs also on previous day) of IMC flying with multiple approachs, 2 14-hour duty days with a reduced rest the previous night, 3 aircraft swaps between each of the 3 round-trips, plus no breaks for food with 1+ hours of time spent on phone to crew scheduling for changes, contributed to fatigue. Supplemental information from acn 394380: at that time the flight attendant came to cockpit. I was looking at her when captain selected 'climb' mode on autoplt to go up to 15000 ft. Soon I noticed a nose high altitude and looked at the altimeter to see us going through 16000 ft. I immediately told the captain, he disengaged the autoplt and descended to 15000 ft. The factors involved were fatigue and distrs. I had been on duty 12 hours at the time and the captain was tired also. The distraction of the flight attendant also contributed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 120 FLYING IN ZTL AIRSPACE RECEIVES PLT'S DISCRETION DSCNT TO 11000 FT. THE CAPT WANTS TO REMAIN AT 15000 FT A WHILE LONGER. HE DEPRESSES THE CLB BUTTON THINKING THE ACFT WOULD CLB ONLY 200 FT BACK TO 15000 FT. HOWEVER, HE DIDN'T CHK ALL THE OTHER INST SETTINGS, SO THE ACFT WAS ALLOWED TO CLB TO 16000 FT.

Narrative: LEVEL AT 15000 FT, ZTL CLRED US PLT'S DISCRETION TO 11000 FT AND GAVE US THE NEW ALTIMETER SETTING. THE FO SET 11000 FT IN THE ALT SELECT WINDOW. WHEN I PUT THE NEW ALTIMETER SETTING IN THE KOLSMAN WINDOW, I NOTICED WE WERE AT 14800 FT. I WANTED TO STAY AT 15000 FT LONGER DUE TO CLOUD TOPS, SO WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED, I HIT THE 'CLB' MODE, EXPECTING IT TO CLB TO 15000 FT. WITH 11000 FT IN THE ALT SELECT WINDOW, THE AUTOPLT JUST CONTINUED CLBING. AT THE TIME I HIT THE CLB MODE, THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO SEE IF WE NEEDED ANYTHING. AFTER THIS DISTR, THE FO CAUGHT US CLBING THROUGH 16000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO 15000 FT. 7 HRS (7 YRS ALSO ON PREVIOUS DAY) OF IMC FLYING WITH MULTIPLE APCHS, 2 14-HR DUTY DAYS WITH A REDUCED REST THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, 3 ACFT SWAPS BTWN EACH OF THE 3 ROUND-TRIPS, PLUS NO BREAKS FOR FOOD WITH 1+ HRS OF TIME SPENT ON PHONE TO CREW SCHEDULING FOR CHANGES, CONTRIBUTED TO FATIGUE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 394380: AT THAT TIME THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO COCKPIT. I WAS LOOKING AT HER WHEN CAPT SELECTED 'CLB' MODE ON AUTOPLT TO GO UP TO 15000 FT. SOON I NOTICED A NOSE HIGH ALT AND LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER TO SEE US GOING THROUGH 16000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE CAPT, HE DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND DSNDED TO 15000 FT. THE FACTORS INVOLVED WERE FATIGUE AND DISTRS. I HAD BEEN ON DUTY 12 HRS AT THE TIME AND THE CAPT WAS TIRED ALSO. THE DISTR OF THE FLT ATTENDANT ALSO CONTRIBUTED.

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.