Captain of a beech 1900 overshot assigned altitude during departure climb.

Attributes
ACN	446020
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 3175
ASRS Report	446020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departure climb out we were assigned our third step-climb altitude of 5000 ft. Aircraft weight very light due to only 1 passenger on board. Climb rate, 2500 FPM. Standard company flight manual callout of 1000 ft to level made, pitch attitude and climb rate reduced to 1000 FPM. At 5100 ft, PNF stated 'confirm altitude 5000 ft?' upon recognition of deviation, I immediately leveled off aircraft. Maximum altitude 5300-5400 ft. Bos departure controller did not call us about our altitude nor was any traffic noted in our vicinity on TCASII. Thus we believe no traffic separation was compromised. On a saturday morning the normally active radio was very quiet and my full attention was only momentarily diverted. In that short time the deviation occurred. Since our aircraft is not equipped with an autoplt, I often thought that I would lessen our chances of deviations from ATC clrncs. Minimize -- possibly. Eliminate -- definitely not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A BEECH 1900 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DURING DEP CLB.

Narrative: ON DEP CLBOUT WE WERE ASSIGNED OUR THIRD STEP-CLB ALT OF 5000 FT. ACFT WT VERY LIGHT DUE TO ONLY 1 PAX ON BOARD. CLB RATE, 2500 FPM. STANDARD COMPANY FLT MANUAL CALLOUT OF 1000 FT TO LEVEL MADE, PITCH ATTITUDE AND CLB RATE REDUCED TO 1000 FPM. AT 5100 FT, PNF STATED 'CONFIRM ALT 5000 FT?' UPON RECOGNITION OF DEV, I IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF ACFT. MAX ALT 5300-5400 FT. BOS DEP CTLR DID NOT CALL US ABOUT OUR ALT NOR WAS ANY TFC NOTED IN OUR VICINITY ON TCASII. THUS WE BELIEVE NO TFC SEPARATION WAS COMPROMISED. ON A SATURDAY MORNING THE NORMALLY ACTIVE RADIO WAS VERY QUIET AND MY FULL ATTN WAS ONLY MOMENTARILY DIVERTED. IN THAT SHORT TIME THE DEV OCCURRED. SINCE OUR ACFT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOPLT, I OFTEN THOUGHT THAT I WOULD LESSEN OUR CHANCES OF DEVS FROM ATC CLRNCS. MINIMIZE -- POSSIBLY. ELIMINATE -- DEFINITELY NOT.

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.