Medium large transport altitude deviation 50 mi southwest of bwi.

Attributes
ACN	450740
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 18100 flight time type : 7100
ASRS Report	450740
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 non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

50 mi southwest of bwi en route fll, cleared to 10000 ft. There was a frequency change and about that time I was approaching 10000 ft but thinking I was cleared to 11000 ft. There were no significant distrs in the cockpit -- day VFR, 18000 hours flight time. I have never busted an altitude assignment, but this day I had a momentary mental lapse -- thought I was supposed to go to 11000 ft instead of 10000 ft. I impute the error to some form of complacency, never to be repeated. Even with many yrs of experience, we can never let our guard down. The next controller asked our assigned altitude. The first officer said '10000 ft.' at that point I was at 10700 ft. I stopped the ascent but the controller said to climb to 12000 ft. There was no conflict with other aircraft and nothing more was said by the controller. The first officer was in his first month with the company and I spoke with him about being more assertive in such sits. He had made an attempt to stop the overshoot, but it was not strong enough.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ALTDEV 50 MI SW OF BWI.

Narrative: 50 MI SW OF BWI ENRTE FLL, CLRED TO 10000 FT. THERE WAS A FREQ CHANGE AND ABOUT THAT TIME I WAS APCHING 10000 FT BUT THINKING I WAS CLRED TO 11000 FT. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DISTRS IN THE COCKPIT -- DAY VFR, 18000 HRS FLT TIME. I HAVE NEVER BUSTED AN ALT ASSIGNMENT, BUT THIS DAY I HAD A MOMENTARY MENTAL LAPSE -- THOUGHT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO 11000 FT INSTEAD OF 10000 FT. I IMPUTE THE ERROR TO SOME FORM OF COMPLACENCY, NEVER TO BE REPEATED. EVEN WITH MANY YRS OF EXPERIENCE, WE CAN NEVER LET OUR GUARD DOWN. THE NEXT CTLR ASKED OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE FO SAID '10000 FT.' AT THAT POINT I WAS AT 10700 FT. I STOPPED THE ASCENT BUT THE CTLR SAID TO CLB TO 12000 FT. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID BY THE CTLR. THE FO WAS IN HIS FIRST MONTH WITH THE COMPANY AND I SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT BEING MORE ASSERTIVE IN SUCH SITS. HE HAD MADE AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE OVERSHOOT, BUT IT WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH.

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.