Narrative:

We were departing dsm; the copilot was flying. Were cleared to 10000 ft. We joined the dsm 254 degree radial outbound continuing to climb. At 9000 ft made 1000 ft to go call. I then reached down to grab the chart between seats (the approach plate) and started setting the page to off. Departure called; told us to maintain 10000 ft. Read back maintain 10000 ft. We were at 10600 ft. We immediately descended to 10000 ft. Departure asked our altitude and I responded 10000 ft. I believe what caused the problem is that I wasn't watching the first officer close enough. He became distracted and missed his altitude. In order to prevent this from happening in the future; I will watch the flying pilot closer; and not get out approach plates until we are level in cruise and stable at our altitude. Supplemental information from acn 654512: we were departing dsm on the way to off. I; the first officer; was flying pilot and we were climbing on course to 10000 ft. At 1000 ft prior; the 1000 ft call was made. During that time; we referenced the en route chart and we received a call from ATC to maintain 10000 ft. We then looked at our altitude and saw we were at 10600 ft. We immediately initiated a descent back to 10000 ft. After reaching 10000 ft; departure said; 'say altitude;' and we said level 10000 ft. They then gave us a number to call for a possible pilot deviation. The thing that really caused the problem was that I; the flying pilot; let myself be distracted by duties that should be performed by the non-flying pilot. In the future; I will be more focused on my duties and not let myself become distracted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JUST PRIOR TO REACHING CRUISE ALT; THE CREW OF AN SA226 BECOME DISTRACTED WITH RETRIEVING APCH CHARTS FOR THEIR NEARBY DEST AND CLB ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING DSM; THE COPLT WAS FLYING. WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT. WE JOINED THE DSM 254 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND CONTINUING TO CLB. AT 9000 FT MADE 1000 FT TO GO CALL. I THEN REACHED DOWN TO GRAB THE CHART BETWEEN SEATS (THE APCH PLATE) AND STARTED SETTING THE PAGE TO OFF. DEP CALLED; TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT. READ BACK MAINTAIN 10000 FT. WE WERE AT 10600 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 10000 FT. DEP ASKED OUR ALT AND I RESPONDED 10000 FT. I BELIEVE WHAT CAUSED THE PROB IS THAT I WASN'T WATCHING THE FO CLOSE ENOUGH. HE BECAME DISTRACTED AND MISSED HIS ALT. IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE; I WILL WATCH THE FLYING PLT CLOSER; AND NOT GET OUT APCH PLATES UNTIL WE ARE LEVEL IN CRUISE AND STABLE AT OUR ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 654512: WE WERE DEPARTING DSM ON THE WAY TO OFF. I; THE FO; WAS FLYING PLT AND WE WERE CLBING ON COURSE TO 10000 FT. AT 1000 FT PRIOR; THE 1000 FT CALL WAS MADE. DURING THAT TIME; WE REFERENCED THE ENRTE CHART AND WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM ATC TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT. WE THEN LOOKED AT OUR ALT AND SAW WE WERE AT 10600 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A DSCNT BACK TO 10000 FT. AFTER REACHING 10000 FT; DEP SAID; 'SAY ALT;' AND WE SAID LEVEL 10000 FT. THEY THEN GAVE US A NUMBER TO CALL FOR A POSSIBLE PLT DEV. THE THING THAT REALLY CAUSED THE PROB WAS THAT I; THE FLYING PLT; LET MYSELF BE DISTRACTED BY DUTIES THAT SHOULD BE PERFORMED BY THE NON-FLYING PLT. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL BE MORE FOCUSED ON MY DUTIES AND NOT LET MYSELF BECOME DISTRACTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.