Narrative:

We departed raleigh-durham at XX25 and we were cleared to 7000 ft initially. Climbing approximately at +/-2500 FPM, the captain was hand flying the airplane, when shortly before leveloff ATC called for traffic at 1 O'clock position. We started looking for the traffic, both looking outside, when the TCASII called for 'traffic, traffic.' by the time we saw the traffic we realized that we had passed the assigned altitude by approximately +/-600 ft. Immediately, but in a smooth manner, the captain initiated a corrective maneuver (the flight attendant was already preparing to serve). At that time ATC called asking about our altitude and we replied that we were descending to 7000 ft. The traffic distraction should never have led us to both look outside. Instead we should divide the task between us. Another way to avoid a situation like this would be by using the autoplt in the altitude capture mode which would level off the airplane at the assigned altitude, avoiding this occurrence. Another factor to mention probably was the fact that it had been a nice VFR day and was the last leg of the day. We were more relaxed than usual, and were caught by surprise by this event. It caused a lack of coordination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MDT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED DEP ALT DURING RADAR VECTORS ON DEP DUE TO TFC WATCH DISTR. ATC INTERVENED ABOUT ALT OVERSHOOT AT THE TIME THE CAPT WAS RETURNING TO ASSIGNED.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RALEIGH-DURHAM AT XX25 AND WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT INITIALLY. CLBING APPROX AT +/-2500 FPM, THE CAPT WAS HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE, WHEN SHORTLY BEFORE LEVELOFF ATC CALLED FOR TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS. WE STARTED LOOKING FOR THE TFC, BOTH LOOKING OUTSIDE, WHEN THE TCASII CALLED FOR 'TFC, TFC.' BY THE TIME WE SAW THE TFC WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD PASSED THE ASSIGNED ALT BY APPROX +/-600 FT. IMMEDIATELY, BUT IN A SMOOTH MANNER, THE CAPT INITIATED A CORRECTIVE MANEUVER (THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS ALREADY PREPARING TO SERVE). AT THAT TIME ATC CALLED ASKING ABOUT OUR ALT AND WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO 7000 FT. THE TFC DISTR SHOULD NEVER HAVE LED US TO BOTH LOOK OUTSIDE. INSTEAD WE SHOULD DIVIDE THE TASK BTWN US. ANOTHER WAY TO AVOID A SIT LIKE THIS WOULD BE BY USING THE AUTOPLT IN THE ALT CAPTURE MODE WHICH WOULD LEVEL OFF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ASSIGNED ALT, AVOIDING THIS OCCURRENCE. ANOTHER FACTOR TO MENTION PROBABLY WAS THE FACT THAT IT HAD BEEN A NICE VFR DAY AND WAS THE LAST LEG OF THE DAY. WE WERE MORE RELAXED THAN USUAL, AND WERE CAUGHT BY SURPRISE BY THIS EVENT. IT CAUSED A LACK OF COORD.

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.