Air carrier light transport deviates from assigned altitude on departure from dfw.

Attributes
ACN	429860
Time
Date	199903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : kingdom 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 8100
ASRS Report	429860
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Dfw to sps on the kingdom 3 departure. First officer was PF. Cleared from 2000 ft to 3000 ft. Autoplt not engaged. Flight director off. During the climb, the first officer questioned the departure radial and which VOR should be tuned in, as there is some confusion on the departure as to use TTT or fuz VOR. I looked at the departure plate to verify as first officer had started the climb. As I was looking at the departure, I heard the altitude alert go off at 3200 ft. I looked up and called '3000 ft' as the first officer nosed over the aircraft at 3300 ft to go back to 3000 ft. Departure called traffic at 11 O'clock at 4000 ft and asked us to descend to 3000 ft. We had already done that and I replied, 'level at 3000 ft' the first officer is an experienced pilot and I had flown all month and he doesn't require 'watching all the time.' however, I feel I should have been watching the altimeter and not looking at the departure plate. The first officer was working his 11TH day in a row and I'm sure he was somewhat tired at this point in the day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT DEVIATES FROM ASSIGNED ALT ON DEP FROM DFW.

Narrative: DFW TO SPS ON THE KINGDOM 3 DEP. FO WAS PF. CLRED FROM 2000 FT TO 3000 FT. AUTOPLT NOT ENGAGED. FLT DIRECTOR OFF. DURING THE CLB, THE FO QUESTIONED THE DEP RADIAL AND WHICH VOR SHOULD BE TUNED IN, AS THERE IS SOME CONFUSION ON THE DEP AS TO USE TTT OR FUZ VOR. I LOOKED AT THE DEP PLATE TO VERIFY AS FO HAD STARTED THE CLB. AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE DEP, I HEARD THE ALT ALERT GO OFF AT 3200 FT. I LOOKED UP AND CALLED '3000 FT' AS THE FO NOSED OVER THE ACFT AT 3300 FT TO GO BACK TO 3000 FT. DEP CALLED TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK AT 4000 FT AND ASKED US TO DSND TO 3000 FT. WE HAD ALREADY DONE THAT AND I REPLIED, 'LEVEL AT 3000 FT' THE FO IS AN EXPERIENCED PLT AND I HAD FLOWN ALL MONTH AND HE DOESN'T REQUIRE 'WATCHING ALL THE TIME.' HOWEVER, I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE ALTIMETER AND NOT LOOKING AT THE DEP PLATE. THE FO WAS WORKING HIS 11TH DAY IN A ROW AND I'M SURE HE WAS SOMEWHAT TIRED AT THIS POINT IN THE DAY.

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.