Narrative:

Early morning departure from far to msp. I am an instructor pilot flying with a new captain on his first pattern. I was flying the aircraft while the other crew member was doing the usual administrative duties with ACARS, flight plan monitoring, etc. We both acknowledged the required callouts of 2000 ft to go and 1000 ft to go. (There is no automatic leveloff feature on the autoplt on the DC9.) ZMP asked us if we were level at FL270 when we realized our mistake. He said there was no conflict and no problem. He then issued a clearance to FL240. Obviously, the cause of the incident was distractions due to our discussions of cockpit duties during a critical phase of flight. The solution is also simple: more diligence while changing altitudes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR, ACTING AS FO OF A DC9, OVERSHOT ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: EARLY MORNING DEP FROM FAR TO MSP. I AM AN INSTRUCTOR PLT FLYING WITH A NEW CAPT ON HIS FIRST PATTERN. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT WHILE THE OTHER CREW MEMBER WAS DOING THE USUAL ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES WITH ACARS, FLT PLAN MONITORING, ETC. WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THE REQUIRED CALLOUTS OF 2000 FT TO GO AND 1000 FT TO GO. (THERE IS NO AUTO LEVELOFF FEATURE ON THE AUTOPLT ON THE DC9.) ZMP ASKED US IF WE WERE LEVEL AT FL270 WHEN WE REALIZED OUR MISTAKE. HE SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND NO PROB. HE THEN ISSUED A CLRNC TO FL240. OBVIOUSLY, THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS DISTRACTIONS DUE TO OUR DISCUSSIONS OF COCKPIT DUTIES DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. THE SOLUTION IS ALSO SIMPLE: MORE DILIGENCE WHILE CHANGING ALTS.

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.