C550 flight crew fails to level at FL330 as cleared in rvsm airspace.

Attributes
ACN	720757
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : tay.vortac
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 33700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	720757
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approximately 25 mins into the flight we were cleared to climb to FL330 and I acknowledged same. Although using the autoplt with altitude capture; the captain had apparently inadvertently canceled the altitude capture feature while discussing non-flight related matters. The aircraft climbed to 34700 ft when I noticed the error and we began a descent back to our assigned FL330. ATC then called to confirm our assigned FL330 which I acknowledged and reported that we were in the descent back to the correct altitude. I am unaware of any traffic conflicts and none were reported to us by ATC. This situation was the result of allowing attention to wander from the instrument scan; probably lulled by the clear VMC conditions and smooth air. Cockpit discipline; even during the boring moments is the solution.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 FLT CREW FAILS TO LEVEL AT FL330 AS CLRED IN RVSM AIRSPACE.

Narrative: APPROX 25 MINS INTO THE FLT WE WERE CLRED TO CLB TO FL330 AND I ACKNOWLEDGED SAME. ALTHOUGH USING THE AUTOPLT WITH ALT CAPTURE; THE CAPT HAD APPARENTLY INADVERTENTLY CANCELED THE ALT CAPTURE FEATURE WHILE DISCUSSING NON-FLT RELATED MATTERS. THE ACFT CLBED TO 34700 FT WHEN I NOTICED THE ERROR AND WE BEGAN A DSCNT BACK TO OUR ASSIGNED FL330. ATC THEN CALLED TO CONFIRM OUR ASSIGNED FL330 WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED AND RPTED THAT WE WERE IN THE DSCNT BACK TO THE CORRECT ALT. I AM UNAWARE OF ANY TFC CONFLICTS AND NONE WERE RPTED TO US BY ATC. THIS SITUATION WAS THE RESULT OF ALLOWING ATTENTION TO WANDER FROM THE INSTRUMENT SCAN; PROBABLY LULLED BY THE CLR VMC CONDITIONS AND SMOOTH AIR. COCKPIT DISCIPLINE; EVEN DURING THE BORING MOMENTS IS THE SOLUTION.

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.