A DC10 flight crew climbed above the assigned altitude west of air.

Attributes
ACN	446180
Time
Date	199908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : air.vor
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc tower : mdw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	446180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During altitude capture climbing to FL310, flight attendant entered cockpit and began describing trouble with lifts. While she distraction crew, altitude capture reverted to vertical speed, and aircraft climbed to FL315. Took control manually and leveled at FL310. Nothing said by ATC and no TCASII aircraft in vicinity. Suggest flight attendants call cockpit before entering to avoid distrs with non safety related problems during critical phases of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10 FLC CLBED ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT W OF AIR.

Narrative: DURING ALT CAPTURE CLBING TO FL310, FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED COCKPIT AND BEGAN DESCRIBING TROUBLE WITH LIFTS. WHILE SHE DISTR CREW, ALT CAPTURE REVERTED TO VERT SPD, AND ACFT CLBED TO FL315. TOOK CTL MANUALLY AND LEVELED AT FL310. NOTHING SAID BY ATC AND NO TCASII ACFT IN VICINITY. SUGGEST FLT ATTENDANTS CALL COCKPIT BEFORE ENTERING TO AVOID DISTRS WITH NON SAFETY RELATED PROBS DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT.

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.