A B737 crew overshot assigned altitude during climb.

Attributes
ACN	502847
Time
Date	200102
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 72 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	502847
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 6815 flight time type : 1885
ASRS Report	503110
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were climbing out of FL230. We had a radar problem prior to this flight. After departure, I checked the radar -- it was still acting the same. I took out the logbook and started writing up the radar. We were told to climb to FL290. I started my log entry. At FL280, we both said '1000 ft to go.' I continued to write. I then heard my first officer say 'oh no!' I looked up, saw the altimeter at FL295. I told the first officer to go to idle and get the nose over. He leveled off at FL290 in a short amount of time. The controller called us and gave a frequency change. Nothing was said about the altitude. The first officer went through the altitude because he started looking at his chart and forgot about the altitude. I should have backed him up instead of writing. It had been over 2 months since my first officer flew a 200. I flew one the week before for 4.5 hours, but before that it had been several months. Supplemental information from acn 503110: I missed the leveloff altitude until the alerter went off at 300 ft high (FL293).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CREW OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DURING CLB.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING OUT OF FL230. WE HAD A RADAR PROB PRIOR TO THIS FLT. AFTER DEP, I CHKED THE RADAR -- IT WAS STILL ACTING THE SAME. I TOOK OUT THE LOGBOOK AND STARTED WRITING UP THE RADAR. WE WERE TOLD TO CLB TO FL290. I STARTED MY LOG ENTRY. AT FL280, WE BOTH SAID '1000 FT TO GO.' I CONTINUED TO WRITE. I THEN HEARD MY FO SAY 'OH NO!' I LOOKED UP, SAW THE ALTIMETER AT FL295. I TOLD THE FO TO GO TO IDLE AND GET THE NOSE OVER. HE LEVELED OFF AT FL290 IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THE CTLR CALLED US AND GAVE A FREQ CHANGE. NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT THE ALT. THE FO WENT THROUGH THE ALT BECAUSE HE STARTED LOOKING AT HIS CHART AND FORGOT ABOUT THE ALT. I SHOULD HAVE BACKED HIM UP INSTEAD OF WRITING. IT HAD BEEN OVER 2 MONTHS SINCE MY FO FLEW A 200. I FLEW ONE THE WK BEFORE FOR 4.5 HRS, BUT BEFORE THAT IT HAD BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 503110: I MISSED THE LEVELOFF ALT UNTIL THE ALERTER WENT OFF AT 300 FT HIGH (FL293).

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.