DCH8 flight crew has an altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	719109
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cyn.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2950 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	719109
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	719110
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Center assigned us 16000 ft. Somewhere between 15000 ft and 16000 ft the autoplt inadvertently disconnected. We were unaware of the autoplt disconnection due to the lack of aural or visual alert. Upon leveloff the airplane established a slow climb of about 100 FPM. We noticed the altitude deviation just as center queried us. Center informed us there were no other aircraft anywhere near us. During the slow climb the first officer was verifying the next course change while I was making an entry in the aircraft maintenance log. This momentary lapse in attention is the main reason that we did not notice the slow climb. This event has brought the need for close autoplt monitoring during leveloff to our attention. The installation of an autoplt disconnect aural warning may have also prevented this deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DCH8 FLT CREW HAS AN ALTDEV.

Narrative: CTR ASSIGNED US 16000 FT. SOMEWHERE BTWN 15000 FT AND 16000 FT THE AUTOPLT INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTED. WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTION DUE TO THE LACK OF AURAL OR VISUAL ALERT. UPON LEVELOFF THE AIRPLANE ESTABLISHED A SLOW CLB OF ABOUT 100 FPM. WE NOTICED THE ALTDEV JUST AS CTR QUERIED US. CTR INFORMED US THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT ANYWHERE NEAR US. DURING THE SLOW CLB THE FO WAS VERIFYING THE NEXT COURSE CHANGE WHILE I WAS MAKING AN ENTRY IN THE ACFT MAINT LOG. THIS MOMENTARY LAPSE IN ATTN IS THE MAIN REASON THAT WE DID NOT NOTICE THE SLOW CLB. THIS EVENT HAS BROUGHT THE NEED FOR CLOSE AUTOPLT MONITORING DURING LEVELOFF TO OUR ATTN. THE INSTALLATION OF AN AUTOPLT DISCONNECT AURAL WARNING MAY HAVE ALSO PREVENTED THIS DEV.

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.