Air carrier turboprop crew overshot assigned altitude on climb in zan airspace.

Attributes
ACN	421790
Time
Date	199812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdn
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 15200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 189 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	421790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While climbing through 12000 ft for 14000 ft, dispatch called to let us know that the WX at our destination airport (sand point) had deteriorated to below minimums. I asked the captain (PF) if he wanted to consider a change of our alternate airport and while he responded, I noticed we were climbing through 15000 ft. I told him and he descended to 14000 ft. Our company's operational procedure is for the PNF to call out 'one to go' when the aircraft is 1000 ft from the altitude climbing or descending to. I had not made that callout. All 3 of us cockpit crew members were surprised by the rapid deterioration in WX conditions (the airport doesn't have taf's) and were subsequently preoccupied with discussing the potential of a missed approach with a minimal (but legal) fuel condition. The brevity of the port heiden to sand point leg (35 mins) necessitates a lot of communication and coordination with ATC and ground crews in a short period of time, so problems must be dealt with quickly. However, in this case, as in all cases, the rule is to fly the plane first. I should have waited until top of climb before delving into flight planning and fuel management issues.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TURBOPROP CREW OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT ON CLB IN ZAN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING THROUGH 12000 FT FOR 14000 FT, DISPATCH CALLED TO LET US KNOW THAT THE WX AT OUR DEST ARPT (SAND POINT) HAD DETERIORATED TO BELOW MINIMUMS. I ASKED THE CAPT (PF) IF HE WANTED TO CONSIDER A CHANGE OF OUR ALTERNATE ARPT AND WHILE HE RESPONDED, I NOTICED WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 15000 FT. I TOLD HIM AND HE DSNDED TO 14000 FT. OUR COMPANY'S OPERATIONAL PROC IS FOR THE PNF TO CALL OUT 'ONE TO GO' WHEN THE ACFT IS 1000 FT FROM THE ALT CLBING OR DSNDING TO. I HAD NOT MADE THAT CALLOUT. ALL 3 OF US COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS WERE SURPRISED BY THE RAPID DETERIORATION IN WX CONDITIONS (THE ARPT DOESN'T HAVE TAF'S) AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY PREOCCUPIED WITH DISCUSSING THE POTENTIAL OF A MISSED APCH WITH A MINIMAL (BUT LEGAL) FUEL CONDITION. THE BREVITY OF THE PORT HEIDEN TO SAND POINT LEG (35 MINS) NECESSITATES A LOT OF COM AND COORD WITH ATC AND GND CREWS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, SO PROBS MUST BE DEALT WITH QUICKLY. HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE, AS IN ALL CASES, THE RULE IS TO FLY THE PLANE FIRST. I SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL TOP OF CLB BEFORE DELVING INTO FLT PLANNING AND FUEL MGMNT ISSUES.

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.