An MU2 climbed above assigned altitude near pdx.

Attributes
ACN	427912
Time
Date	199902
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : btg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 104 flight time total : 2787 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	427912
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we were climbing out of hio, departure control cleared us to climb and maintain 15000 ft. After we were handed off, the next controller cleared us to climb and maintain 9000 ft. We were later advised of traffic at our 10-12 O'clock position leveling at 10000 ft. They were also advised of our position. Both aircraft were IMC and remained so throughout the following events. A few mins passed and the other aircraft advised ATC that they showed another aircraft below them. I was still thinking 15000 ft as I heard the other aircraft start its call. I realized that I was just breaking 9600 ft and immediately pushed the nose over and was down through 9400 to 9200 ft by the time ATC asked us to verify our altitude. I do not believe the other aircraft was forced to deviate. Contributing factors: I, as captain and the PF was thinking too far ahead and not focused on the task at hand. There was also a breakdown in CRM. On climb out my copilot was organizing paperwork instead of monitoring the climb and making our standard calls.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MU2 CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT NEAR PDX.

Narrative: AS WE WERE CLBING OUT OF HIO, DEP CTL CLRED US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 15000 FT. AFTER WE WERE HANDED OFF, THE NEXT CTLR CLRED US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 9000 FT. WE WERE LATER ADVISED OF TFC AT OUR 10-12 O'CLOCK POS LEVELING AT 10000 FT. THEY WERE ALSO ADVISED OF OUR POS. BOTH ACFT WERE IMC AND REMAINED SO THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING EVENTS. A FEW MINS PASSED AND THE OTHER ACFT ADVISED ATC THAT THEY SHOWED ANOTHER ACFT BELOW THEM. I WAS STILL THINKING 15000 FT AS I HEARD THE OTHER ACFT START ITS CALL. I REALIZED THAT I WAS JUST BREAKING 9600 FT AND IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE NOSE OVER AND WAS DOWN THROUGH 9400 TO 9200 FT BY THE TIME ATC ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE OTHER ACFT WAS FORCED TO DEVIATE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I, AS CAPT AND THE PF WAS THINKING TOO FAR AHEAD AND NOT FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND. THERE WAS ALSO A BREAKDOWN IN CRM. ON CLBOUT MY COPLT WAS ORGANIZING PAPERWORK INSTEAD OF MONITORING THE CLB AND MAKING OUR STANDARD CALLS.

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.