A DH8-100 first officer climbs above his assigned altitude departure phl, PA.

Attributes
ACN	425840
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv airport : phl
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	425840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the PF of a scheduled commuter flight from phl to lga. Upon checking in with departure, we were assigned to climb and maintain an altitude of 7000 ft. As we were climbing through 7900 ft, I realized the error. I immediately descended back to 7000 ft. There were no known traffic conflicts and we were never questioned by ATC. I believe multiple problems contributed to this oversight: 1) the captain was off frequency completing company required communications. 2) I was on day 3 of work with the following duty hours: day 1 - 13 hours. Day 2 - 13 hours. Day 3 was 8.5 hours at the time of the occurrence. 3) the autoplt was deferred resulting in having to hand fly the aircraft on this leg, and the preceding 4 legs. 4) the yaw dampers were deferred resulting in extensive aircraft movement in the turbulent conditions. 5) prior to departure from phl, we had trouble getting a gpu from the ramp personnel. This was a necessity due to a deferred APU and resulted in a late departure. 6) after shutting the doors and completing the paperwork, additional bags were loaded resulting in having to amend the paperwork. Because of these contributing factors, I believe my inattentiveness was a result.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DH8-100 FO CLBS ABOVE HIS ASSIGNED ALT DEP PHL, PA.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF OF A SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLT FROM PHL TO LGA. UPON CHKING IN WITH DEP, WE WERE ASSIGNED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN AN ALT OF 7000 FT. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 7900 FT, I REALIZED THE ERROR. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO 7000 FT. THERE WERE NO KNOWN TFC CONFLICTS AND WE WERE NEVER QUESTIONED BY ATC. I BELIEVE MULTIPLE PROBS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OVERSIGHT: 1) THE CAPT WAS OFF FREQ COMPLETING COMPANY REQUIRED COMS. 2) I WAS ON DAY 3 OF WORK WITH THE FOLLOWING DUTY HOURS: DAY 1 - 13 HRS. DAY 2 - 13 HRS. DAY 3 WAS 8.5 HRS AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. 3) THE AUTOPLT WAS DEFERRED RESULTING IN HAVING TO HAND FLY THE ACFT ON THIS LEG, AND THE PRECEDING 4 LEGS. 4) THE YAW DAMPERS WERE DEFERRED RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE ACFT MOVEMENT IN THE TURBULENT CONDITIONS. 5) PRIOR TO DEP FROM PHL, WE HAD TROUBLE GETTING A GPU FROM THE RAMP PERSONNEL. THIS WAS A NECESSITY DUE TO A DEFERRED APU AND RESULTED IN A LATE DEP. 6) AFTER SHUTTING THE DOORS AND COMPLETING THE PAPERWORK, ADDITIONAL BAGS WERE LOADED RESULTING IN HAVING TO AMEND THE PAPERWORK. BECAUSE OF THESE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, I BELIEVE MY INATTENTIVENESS WAS A RESULT.

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.