Narrative:

Myself (captain) flying, first officer on VHF. During en route climb, ZTL had cleared us to FL330. First officer read back to ATC FL330 as I set it in the altitude select window. Both of us pointed and said aloud '330.' aircraft was climbing in VNAV. Flight attendant came into cockpit and was talking to us. Apparently ATC revised climb to FL310 due to traffic. I did not hear this revision and therefore didn't reset altitude window. First officer apparently heard it and read back '310' (it is our policy to both point out new altitude and for PF to reset it and then both of us point and say new altitude). I didn't hear it and therefore didn't change it from FL330. As we climbed through FL315, ATC contacted us and told us to return to FL310. We complied as soon as possible and reached FL316 before descending. We continued on flight ultimately at FL350. Later on in the flight, we were asked to call ZTL. I did so on arrival at mci. They informed me a report had been filed and asked me for my name, address and phone number. Time now was 1 hour after arrival in mci. Distraction was flight attendant talking to us. Inaction was first officer reading back FL310 clearance and not calling it to my attention so altitude window could be changed or not changing it himself. Inaction was my not hearing the revised altitude. Why were we cleared to FL330 if separation was inadequate?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLC OVERSHOT THEIR REASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE PIC PF WAS DISTR BY CONVERSATION WITH A FLT ATTENDANT. ATC CORRECTED ALT OVERSHOT.

Narrative: MYSELF (CAPT) FLYING, FO ON VHF. DURING ENRTE CLB, ZTL HAD CLRED US TO FL330. FO READ BACK TO ATC FL330 AS I SET IT IN THE ALT SELECT WINDOW. BOTH OF US POINTED AND SAID ALOUD '330.' ACFT WAS CLBING IN VNAV. FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO COCKPIT AND WAS TALKING TO US. APPARENTLY ATC REVISED CLB TO FL310 DUE TO TFC. I DID NOT HEAR THIS REVISION AND THEREFORE DIDN'T RESET ALT WINDOW. FO APPARENTLY HEARD IT AND READ BACK '310' (IT IS OUR POLICY TO BOTH POINT OUT NEW ALT AND FOR PF TO RESET IT AND THEN BOTH OF US POINT AND SAY NEW ALT). I DIDN'T HEAR IT AND THEREFORE DIDN'T CHANGE IT FROM FL330. AS WE CLBED THROUGH FL315, ATC CONTACTED US AND TOLD US TO RETURN TO FL310. WE COMPLIED ASAP AND REACHED FL316 BEFORE DSNDING. WE CONTINUED ON FLT ULTIMATELY AT FL350. LATER ON IN THE FLT, WE WERE ASKED TO CALL ZTL. I DID SO ON ARR AT MCI. THEY INFORMED ME A RPT HAD BEEN FILED AND ASKED ME FOR MY NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER. TIME NOW WAS 1 HR AFTER ARR IN MCI. DISTR WAS FLT ATTENDANT TALKING TO US. INACTION WAS FO READING BACK FL310 CLRNC AND NOT CALLING IT TO MY ATTN SO ALT WINDOW COULD BE CHANGED OR NOT CHANGING IT HIMSELF. INACTION WAS MY NOT HEARING THE REVISED ALT. WHY WERE WE CLRED TO FL330 IF SEPARATION WAS INADEQUATE?

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.