An md-S80 first officer overshot the assigned altitude in ZDV airspace.

Attributes
ACN	516430
Time
Date	200106
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdv.artcc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : quail 3
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	516430
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was PF on flight to den. While inbound on the quail 3 arrival and crossing hgo VOR, I was busy slowing the aircraft to 270 KTS as assigned by ATC, turning to the outbound heading of 307 degrees, calculating to cross quail at 17000 ft, and 250 KTS. During this time, ATC issued a descent to what I thought was FL270, it was actually FL290. After being established in the descent, and while turning to the outbound radial, ATC called and told us to climb to FL290. We were already passing through FL280. I started an immediate climb to FL290 and ATC informed us that we had deviated from our assigned altitude of FL290.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-S80 FO OVERSHOT THE ASSIGNED ALT IN ZDV AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS PF ON FLT TO DEN. WHILE INBOUND ON THE QUAIL 3 ARR AND XING HGO VOR, I WAS BUSY SLOWING THE ACFT TO 270 KTS AS ASSIGNED BY ATC, TURNING TO THE OUTBOUND HDG OF 307 DEGS, CALCULATING TO CROSS QUAIL AT 17000 FT, AND 250 KTS. DURING THIS TIME, ATC ISSUED A DSCNT TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS FL270, IT WAS ACTUALLY FL290. AFTER BEING ESTABLISHED IN THE DSCNT, AND WHILE TURNING TO THE OUTBOUND RADIAL, ATC CALLED AND TOLD US TO CLB TO FL290. WE WERE ALREADY PASSING THROUGH FL280. I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO FL290 AND ATC INFORMED US THAT WE HAD DEVIATED FROM OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF FL290.

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.