Narrative:

Departure: udd. Destination: crq. Part 91 owner/operator with no passenger. PF: owner. PNF: myself. WX: VFR at departure/destination and en route. Departed night VFR from udd, an uncontrolled airfield, for a 20 min flight to crq with 2 crew and no passenger. I (PNF) contacted ATC on departure/climb out to pick up our IFR clearance to our destination (crq), approximately climbing through 7000 ft MSL. Our clearance issued was: proceed direct to trm VOR, V208 ocn direct, climb and maintain 10000 ft, expect 12000 ft. I then looked at the low en route chart to load the fixes into the GPS. During this time, the PF was hand flying the aircraft while my attention was consulting the chart. Shortly afterwards, the controller called me and asked to verify our altitude. At that time we both realized we were nearing 10500 ft and managed to stop the climb at 10500 ft and aggressively correct back down to our assigned altitude of 10000 ft. The next ATC transmission instructed us to contact ZLA. ZLA then cleared us to climb to 12000 ft. This is the typical scenario where no one is flying the aircraft. The PF's attention should have been controling the aircraft and not also trying to load fixes into the navigation equipment -- especially when the autoplt is off and hand flying. After reviewing the flight log for the day, I (PNF) had been on duty for 13 hours and 30 mins before we had even departed. This made for a total duty day of 14 hours and 45 mins. The PF's total duty day was only 1 hour 39 mins, however, is primarily assigned to different equipment. Since this is the second altitude deviation in less than 2 weeks with the same PF, the chief pilot of our company is in the process of changing policy on our part 91 duty limitations and aircraft currency requirements for those who fly more than 1 aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT IN SCT CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEP: UDD. DEST: CRQ. PART 91 OWNER/OPERATOR WITH NO PAX. PF: OWNER. PNF: MYSELF. WX: VFR AT DEP/DEST AND ENRTE. DEPARTED NIGHT VFR FROM UDD, AN UNCTLED AIRFIELD, FOR A 20 MIN FLT TO CRQ WITH 2 CREW AND NO PAX. I (PNF) CONTACTED ATC ON DEP/CLBOUT TO PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC TO OUR DEST (CRQ), APPROX CLBING THROUGH 7000 FT MSL. OUR CLRNC ISSUED WAS: PROCEED DIRECT TO TRM VOR, V208 OCN DIRECT, CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT, EXPECT 12000 FT. I THEN LOOKED AT THE LOW ENRTE CHART TO LOAD THE FIXES INTO THE GPS. DURING THIS TIME, THE PF WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT WHILE MY ATTN WAS CONSULTING THE CHART. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE CTLR CALLED ME AND ASKED TO VERIFY OUR ALT. AT THAT TIME WE BOTH REALIZED WE WERE NEARING 10500 FT AND MANAGED TO STOP THE CLB AT 10500 FT AND AGGRESSIVELY CORRECT BACK DOWN TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000 FT. THE NEXT ATC XMISSION INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT ZLA. ZLA THEN CLRED US TO CLB TO 12000 FT. THIS IS THE TYPICAL SCENARIO WHERE NO ONE IS FLYING THE ACFT. THE PF'S ATTN SHOULD HAVE BEEN CTLING THE ACFT AND NOT ALSO TRYING TO LOAD FIXES INTO THE NAV EQUIP -- ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AUTOPLT IS OFF AND HAND FLYING. AFTER REVIEWING THE FLT LOG FOR THE DAY, I (PNF) HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 13 HRS AND 30 MINS BEFORE WE HAD EVEN DEPARTED. THIS MADE FOR A TOTAL DUTY DAY OF 14 HRS AND 45 MINS. THE PF'S TOTAL DUTY DAY WAS ONLY 1 HR 39 MINS, HOWEVER, IS PRIMARILY ASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT EQUIP. SINCE THIS IS THE SECOND ALTDEV IN LESS THAN 2 WKS WITH THE SAME PF, THE CHIEF PLT OF OUR COMPANY IS IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING POLICY ON OUR PART 91 DUTY LIMITATIONS AND ACFT CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE WHO FLY MORE THAN 1 ACFT.

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.