Narrative:

After gaining radar contact on aircraft X (a departure off hgr airport), I confirmed the mode C and verified the assigned altitude as 5000 ft. Aircraft X said his altitude leaving and answered in the affirmative for his assigned altitude as 5000 ft. Aircraft Y, a C182, level at 6000 ft, was issued traffic on aircraft X climbing to 5000 ft. Aircraft X was issued traffic on aircraft Y at 6000 ft. Aircraft X's mode C indicated 5300 ft. I reissued hgr altimeter and asked aircraft X to confirm level at 5000 ft, aircraft X did not respond. I issued an immediate descent to 5000 ft for aircraft X then turned aircraft Y left heading 270 degrees (traffic was aircraft Y northbound, and aircraft X sbound) and climbed to 7000 ft. About 7 seconds later, aircraft X reported level at 5000 ft. Supplemental information from acn 506956: I deviated from the assigned altitude by inadvertently climbing to 5600 ft on departure from hagerstown, md. While looking for the martinsburg approach plate and not scanning the instruments, I was through 5000 ft before I realized it. The controller called, I immediately descended. He also called the cessna and assigned 7000 ft. The controller did everything he could. Verified the assigned altitude, which I should have given him on initial contact, verified the mode C report and called the traffic. Failure to scan, thinking about the next approach and not following the 'aviate, navigation, communicate' priority rule contributed to the deviation. In addition, I should have been more aware of the 1000 ft separation with the traffic. I should have retrieved the approach plate before departing hgr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC CTLR RECOGNIZES THAT HGR DEPARTING PA31 CLBS THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT AND CONFLICTS WITH AN ENRTE C182 AT 6000 FT.

Narrative: AFTER GAINING RADAR CONTACT ON ACFT X (A DEP OFF HGR ARPT), I CONFIRMED THE MODE C AND VERIFIED THE ASSIGNED ALT AS 5000 FT. ACFT X SAID HIS ALT LEAVING AND ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FOR HIS ASSIGNED ALT AS 5000 FT. ACFT Y, A C182, LEVEL AT 6000 FT, WAS ISSUED TFC ON ACFT X CLBING TO 5000 FT. ACFT X WAS ISSUED TFC ON ACFT Y AT 6000 FT. ACFT X'S MODE C INDICATED 5300 FT. I REISSUED HGR ALTIMETER AND ASKED ACFT X TO CONFIRM LEVEL AT 5000 FT, ACFT X DID NOT RESPOND. I ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 5000 FT FOR ACFT X THEN TURNED ACFT Y L HDG 270 DEGS (TFC WAS ACFT Y NBOUND, AND ACFT X SBOUND) AND CLBED TO 7000 FT. ABOUT 7 SECONDS LATER, ACFT X RPTED LEVEL AT 5000 FT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 506956: I DEVIATED FROM THE ASSIGNED ALT BY INADVERTENTLY CLBING TO 5600 FT ON DEP FROM HAGERSTOWN, MD. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE MARTINSBURG APCH PLATE AND NOT SCANNING THE INSTS, I WAS THROUGH 5000 FT BEFORE I REALIZED IT. THE CTLR CALLED, I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED. HE ALSO CALLED THE CESSNA AND ASSIGNED 7000 FT. THE CTLR DID EVERYTHING HE COULD. VERIFIED THE ASSIGNED ALT, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM ON INITIAL CONTACT, VERIFIED THE MODE C RPT AND CALLED THE TFC. FAILURE TO SCAN, THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT APCH AND NOT FOLLOWING THE 'AVIATE, NAV, COMMUNICATE' PRIORITY RULE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEV. IN ADDITION, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF THE 1000 FT SEPARATION WITH THE TFC. I SHOULD HAVE RETRIEVED THE APCH PLATE BEFORE DEPARTING HGR.

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.