2-man crew overshot assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	489160
Time
Date	200010
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13600 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	489160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing off of atw for msp, we were eventually cleared to 18000 ft. There were several layers and we were looking for an altitude inbtwn the cloud layers. At about 14300 ft we decided to request 14000 ft as a final because 16000 ft would probably put us back in the clouds. I slowed the climb rate to 350 FPM until we had a clearance to descend back down to 14000 ft instead of climb to 18000 ft. We got our clearance to 14000 ft at about 14700 ft. I scrolled the autoplt down into a descent, but somehow neither one of us caught the fact the altitude preselect didn't get changed from 18000 ft to 14000 ft. I was distracted as I was looking at my charts thinking ahead to the eau claire arrival and next thing I know, ZMP asks 'XXX, verify level at 14000 ft,' we were then at 13700 ft. We immediately climbed back up, but we got as low as 13600 ft before we started the climb. The altitude preselect still read 18000 ft. There was no traffic in the area so there was no conflicts. No one showed up on TCASII. We were operating on a 'continuous duty overnight.' we had been on duty since XA40 the day before. We had a few hours of sleep, but not a full night's rest. I think that this may have been one contributing human factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2-MAN CREW OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DEPARTING OFF OF ATW FOR MSP, WE WERE EVENTUALLY CLRED TO 18000 FT. THERE WERE SEVERAL LAYERS AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR AN ALT INBTWN THE CLOUD LAYERS. AT ABOUT 14300 FT WE DECIDED TO REQUEST 14000 FT AS A FINAL BECAUSE 16000 FT WOULD PROBABLY PUT US BACK IN THE CLOUDS. I SLOWED THE CLB RATE TO 350 FPM UNTIL WE HAD A CLRNC TO DSND BACK DOWN TO 14000 FT INSTEAD OF CLB TO 18000 FT. WE GOT OUR CLRNC TO 14000 FT AT ABOUT 14700 FT. I SCROLLED THE AUTOPLT DOWN INTO A DSCNT, BUT SOMEHOW NEITHER ONE OF US CAUGHT THE FACT THE ALT PRESELECT DIDN'T GET CHANGED FROM 18000 FT TO 14000 FT. I WAS DISTRACTED AS I WAS LOOKING AT MY CHARTS THINKING AHEAD TO THE EAU CLAIRE ARR AND NEXT THING I KNOW, ZMP ASKS 'XXX, VERIFY LEVEL AT 14000 FT,' WE WERE THEN AT 13700 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK UP, BUT WE GOT AS LOW AS 13600 FT BEFORE WE STARTED THE CLB. THE ALT PRESELECT STILL READ 18000 FT. THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA SO THERE WAS NO CONFLICTS. NO ONE SHOWED UP ON TCASII. WE WERE OPERATING ON A 'CONTINUOUS DUTY OVERNIGHT.' WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY SINCE XA40 THE DAY BEFORE. WE HAD A FEW HRS OF SLEEP, BUT NOT A FULL NIGHT'S REST. I THINK THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN ONE CONTRIBUTING HUMAN FACTOR.

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.