Narrative:

We received our clearance on the ground in sidney, mt, from great falls flight service due to low ceilings. We were just ahead of another aircraft due to depart. On takeoff, we had to take evasive action to avoid numerous flocks of geese on the opposite end of our departure runway. We then entered the low cloud base at about 4500 ft and broke out on top at 6000 ft in VMC. At this point we encountered another large flock of geese in our flight path in which we took evasive action once again. We also reported the flocks of geese to the aircraft departing behind us off sidney, mt. While we were preoccupied with the birds, I noticed an aircraft come up on the TCASII which surprised me. I then checked the altitude readout on the transponder, which did not correlate with the readout on our altimeter. I recycled the transponder several times and also switched from #1 to #2 transponder and then back to #1. The transponder also failed to give me a reply light. (We have been having trouble with the xponders and altitude readouts on several of our aircraft, so I don't really trust the system.) after recycling several times, the transponder then seemed to work ok. It was around this time I glanced at the altitude alerter and saw that 12000 ft was set in the window. Why it was set at 12000 ft is a mystery to me. I don't recall setting an altitude because we were preoccupied trying to watch where the birds were going, receiving a clearance, and doing the checklist while taxiing. At about the same time, I realized our assigned altitude given by great falls flight service was 10000 ft. We immediately began a descent back down to 10000 ft. From the point of takeoff we had continually tried to contact ATC (ZLC) but were unsuccessful. ZLC had finally contacted us and stated that we only showed up as a primary target. I recycled the transponder again and received a correct altitude readout and reply light. Shortly after were informed to call ZLC due to a possible conflict. Amidst the preoccupation with the birds, the traffic and the transponder and an incorrect altitude set in the altitude alerter we somehow missed our assigned altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SA227 FLC DEPARTING SDY, MT, BECAME DISTR AND ALLOWED THEIR ACFT TO CLB 2000 FT ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC ON THE GND IN SIDNEY, MT, FROM GREAT FALLS FLT SVC DUE TO LOW CEILINGS. WE WERE JUST AHEAD OF ANOTHER ACFT DUE TO DEPART. ON TKOF, WE HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID NUMEROUS FLOCKS OF GEESE ON THE OPPOSITE END OF OUR DEP RWY. WE THEN ENTERED THE LOW CLOUD BASE AT ABOUT 4500 FT AND BROKE OUT ON TOP AT 6000 FT IN VMC. AT THIS POINT WE ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER LARGE FLOCK OF GEESE IN OUR FLT PATH IN WHICH WE TOOK EVASIVE ACTION ONCE AGAIN. WE ALSO RPTED THE FLOCKS OF GEESE TO THE ACFT DEPARTING BEHIND US OFF SIDNEY, MT. WHILE WE WERE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE BIRDS, I NOTICED AN ACFT COME UP ON THE TCASII WHICH SURPRISED ME. I THEN CHKED THE ALT READOUT ON THE XPONDER, WHICH DID NOT CORRELATE WITH THE READOUT ON OUR ALTIMETER. I RECYCLED THE XPONDER SEVERAL TIMES AND ALSO SWITCHED FROM #1 TO #2 XPONDER AND THEN BACK TO #1. THE XPONDER ALSO FAILED TO GIVE ME A REPLY LIGHT. (WE HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE XPONDERS AND ALT READOUTS ON SEVERAL OF OUR ACFT, SO I DON'T REALLY TRUST THE SYS.) AFTER RECYCLING SEVERAL TIMES, THE XPONDER THEN SEEMED TO WORK OK. IT WAS AROUND THIS TIME I GLANCED AT THE ALT ALERTER AND SAW THAT 12000 FT WAS SET IN THE WINDOW. WHY IT WAS SET AT 12000 FT IS A MYSTERY TO ME. I DON'T RECALL SETTING AN ALT BECAUSE WE WERE PREOCCUPIED TRYING TO WATCH WHERE THE BIRDS WERE GOING, RECEIVING A CLRNC, AND DOING THE CHKLIST WHILE TAXIING. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, I REALIZED OUR ASSIGNED ALT GIVEN BY GREAT FALLS FLT SVC WAS 10000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A DSCNT BACK DOWN TO 10000 FT. FROM THE POINT OF TKOF WE HAD CONTINUALLY TRIED TO CONTACT ATC (ZLC) BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. ZLC HAD FINALLY CONTACTED US AND STATED THAT WE ONLY SHOWED UP AS A PRIMARY TARGET. I RECYCLED THE XPONDER AGAIN AND RECEIVED A CORRECT ALT READOUT AND REPLY LIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER WERE INFORMED TO CALL ZLC DUE TO A POSSIBLE CONFLICT. AMIDST THE PREOCCUPATION WITH THE BIRDS, THE TFC AND THE XPONDER AND AN INCORRECT ALT SET IN THE ALT ALERTER WE SOMEHOW MISSED OUR ASSIGNED ALT.

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.