A B733 crew, 50 NM north of smf, overshot an assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	530334
Time
Date	200111
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sac.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 29700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : sea.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : dudes 9
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	530334
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a heading to intercept the sac 058 degree radial on the dudes nine departure. Autoplt was on with LNAV engaged with intercept leg to dudes entered in the FMC. Our filed altitude was FL270 and we had requested FL330. I looked at the display and it indicated that we had flown through the course. I then noticed that LNAV had disengaged. I was turning back to the course and trying to figure out what had happened when the center cleared us direct bty. I had just entered direct bty into the FMC and executed the command when the first officer reminded me that we were also cleared to FL330. I dialed FL330 into the altitude alerter on the mpc and off we climbed fat, dumb and happy. This is where the mistake was made, since I was preoccupied with the FMC I had not given my undivided attention to the controller and accepted what my first officer said as true. I should have called back to center and confirmed FL330 like I normally do but my preoccupation with the computer prevented it. When we were climbing through FL297 the controller asked us to state our altitude. We replied FL297 for FL330, whereupon the controller responded that we were cleared to FL290 and to maintain FL290. There was anger in his voice. We immediately descended to FL290 whereupon the controller very emphatically stated that the clearance was to FL290 not FL330, again anger in his voice. One other small piece of information that may or may not be a factor was when we were first handed off to this controller we made at least 3 calls with no reply. We called back to the previous controller to confirm that we had the correct frequencys, which we did, and called back again, at which time we established contact. This indicates to me that there was a possible distraction on the other end also. Another possible contributing factor is this was after my second night in a row waking up at approximately XA30 and not being able to get back to sleep, however I did not feel tired.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B733 CREW, 50 NM N OF SMF, OVERSHOT AN ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE SAC 058 DEG RADIAL ON THE DUDES NINE DEP. AUTOPLT WAS ON WITH LNAV ENGAGED WITH INTERCEPT LEG TO DUDES ENTERED IN THE FMC. OUR FILED ALT WAS FL270 AND WE HAD REQUESTED FL330. I LOOKED AT THE DISPLAY AND IT INDICATED THAT WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE COURSE. I THEN NOTICED THAT LNAV HAD DISENGAGED. I WAS TURNING BACK TO THE COURSE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WHEN THE CTR CLRED US DIRECT BTY. I HAD JUST ENTERED DIRECT BTY INTO THE FMC AND EXECUTED THE COMMAND WHEN THE FO REMINDED ME THAT WE WERE ALSO CLRED TO FL330. I DIALED FL330 INTO THE ALT ALERTER ON THE MPC AND OFF WE CLBED FAT, DUMB AND HAPPY. THIS IS WHERE THE MISTAKE WAS MADE, SINCE I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE FMC I HAD NOT GIVEN MY UNDIVIDED ATTN TO THE CTLR AND ACCEPTED WHAT MY FO SAID AS TRUE. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED BACK TO CTR AND CONFIRMED FL330 LIKE I NORMALLY DO BUT MY PREOCCUPATION WITH THE COMPUTER PREVENTED IT. WHEN WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL297 THE CTLR ASKED US TO STATE OUR ALT. WE REPLIED FL297 FOR FL330, WHEREUPON THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL290 AND TO MAINTAIN FL290. THERE WAS ANGER IN HIS VOICE. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO FL290 WHEREUPON THE CTLR VERY EMPHATICALLY STATED THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO FL290 NOT FL330, AGAIN ANGER IN HIS VOICE. ONE OTHER SMALL PIECE OF INFO THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE A FACTOR WAS WHEN WE WERE FIRST HANDED OFF TO THIS CTLR WE MADE AT LEAST 3 CALLS WITH NO REPLY. WE CALLED BACK TO THE PREVIOUS CTLR TO CONFIRM THAT WE HAD THE CORRECT FREQS, WHICH WE DID, AND CALLED BACK AGAIN, AT WHICH TIME WE ESTABLISHED CONTACT. THIS INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE DISTR ON THE OTHER END ALSO. ANOTHER POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THIS WAS AFTER MY SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW WAKING UP AT APPROX XA30 AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET BACK TO SLEEP, HOWEVER I DID NOT FEEL TIRED.

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.