Altitude overshoot near phl, PA.

Attributes
ACN	479362
Time
Date	200007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 575
ASRS Report	479362
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	479370
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing out of phl with the captain hand flying the aircraft, we were cleared to 10000 ft. We were deviating 10 degrees left and right of course to stay clear of cumulus clouds that were building up in the area. Out of 9000 ft, the altitude alerter sounded (pretty quiet on this particular aircraft) and neither pilot mentioned 'one to go' as per company policy as our attention was outside trying to stay clear of clouds for turbulence avoidance. Climbing out of 10300 ft the altitude alerter sounded which got my attention and I immediately told the captain to descend back to 10000 ft. Maximum deviation was 10700 ft. The contributing factors to this incident were: 1) not using the aircraft automation to perform the leveloff, 2) not following company policy regarding standard altitude callouts, and 3) having both pilots' attention outside the cockpit. No conflict with other aircraft was seen on our TCASII.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT NEAR PHL, PA.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF PHL WITH THE CAPT HAND FLYING THE ACFT, WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT. WE WERE DEVIATING 10 DEGS L AND R OF COURSE TO STAY CLR OF CUMULUS CLOUDS THAT WERE BUILDING UP IN THE AREA. OUT OF 9000 FT, THE ALT ALERTER SOUNDED (PRETTY QUIET ON THIS PARTICULAR ACFT) AND NEITHER PLT MENTIONED 'ONE TO GO' AS PER COMPANY POLICY AS OUR ATTN WAS OUTSIDE TRYING TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS FOR TURB AVOIDANCE. CLBING OUT OF 10300 FT THE ALT ALERTER SOUNDED WHICH GOT MY ATTN AND I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE CAPT TO DSND BACK TO 10000 FT. MAX DEV WAS 10700 FT. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT WERE: 1) NOT USING THE ACFT AUTOMATION TO PERFORM THE LEVELOFF, 2) NOT FOLLOWING COMPANY POLICY REGARDING STANDARD ALT CALLOUTS, AND 3) HAVING BOTH PLTS' ATTN OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT. NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT WAS SEEN ON OUR TCASII.

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.