Narrative:

I was being vectored eastbound to intercept the PLAIN3-akron transition out of denver; co. I was assigned a temporary altitude of 12000 ft MSL. While climbing through 8000 ft; at approximately 220 KTS; I was asked to expedite my climb through 10000 ft MSL. I increased the rate of the climb from approximately 800-1000 FPM to approximately 3000 FPM until I passed through 10000 ft. At that point of passing 10000 ft; I began to reduce the climb rate to approximately 1200-1500 FPM to maintain a climbing airspeed of 160 KTS. A controller thanked me for my assistance. Shortly after establishing the 160 KT climb; I began to feel and hear a change or loss of power from the engines. I began to evaluate and react to a pending engine failure by adjusting power and reaching behind me and turning the engine igniters to continuous operation. The controller called me during this time and asked me what altitude I was climbing to. I responded by telling him 12000 ft and then I realized that I was above my assigned altitude. I immediately told the controller that I would return to the assigned altitude. The controller responded by telling me that it was too late and to continue my climb by 17000 ft MSL. Shortly after; I was told to contact denver after landing and was given a phone number. I told the controller I was dealing with a problem and was distraction at the time from maintaining the assigned altitude. After landing; I called denver and talked to a quality assurance person about the situation. He told me that there was another aircraft (a learjet; heading to centennial; apa) wbound at 13000 ft MSL. He told me that the aircraft came within 1 mi of my aircraft. I told him that I was never informed or warned about the other aircraft. I also questioned him why the controller didn't warn me about my altitude deviation prior to reaching 13000 ft. I told him that I was in the middle of a pending emergency and was distraction from my assigned altitude. He asked me about my autoplt and TCAS. I told him that this metropolitan doesn't have autoplt equipment and the aircraft I was flying is not equipped with any aircraft radar like TCAS. Even though a deviation from the assigned altitude during a pending emergency situation occurred; I believe the controller should had informed me of the other aircraft in my vicinity and also warned me about my altitude deviation prior to my aircraft reaching 13000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A METRO PILOT CLIMBED THROUGH HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE WHEN HE WAS DISTRACTED BY AN ENGINE PROBLEM.

Narrative: I WAS BEING VECTORED EBOUND TO INTERCEPT THE PLAIN3-AKRON TRANSITION OUT OF DENVER; CO. I WAS ASSIGNED A TEMPORARY ALT OF 12000 FT MSL. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 8000 FT; AT APPROX 220 KTS; I WAS ASKED TO EXPEDITE MY CLB THROUGH 10000 FT MSL. I INCREASED THE RATE OF THE CLB FROM APPROX 800-1000 FPM TO APPROX 3000 FPM UNTIL I PASSED THROUGH 10000 FT. AT THAT POINT OF PASSING 10000 FT; I BEGAN TO REDUCE THE CLB RATE TO APPROX 1200-1500 FPM TO MAINTAIN A CLBING AIRSPD OF 160 KTS. A CTLR THANKED ME FOR MY ASSISTANCE. SHORTLY AFTER ESTABLISHING THE 160 KT CLB; I BEGAN TO FEEL AND HEAR A CHANGE OR LOSS OF PWR FROM THE ENGS. I BEGAN TO EVALUATE AND REACT TO A PENDING ENG FAILURE BY ADJUSTING PWR AND REACHING BEHIND ME AND TURNING THE ENG IGNITERS TO CONTINUOUS OP. THE CTLR CALLED ME DURING THIS TIME AND ASKED ME WHAT ALT I WAS CLBING TO. I RESPONDED BY TELLING HIM 12000 FT AND THEN I REALIZED THAT I WAS ABOVE MY ASSIGNED ALT. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE CTLR THAT I WOULD RETURN TO THE ASSIGNED ALT. THE CTLR RESPONDED BY TELLING ME THAT IT WAS TOO LATE AND TO CONTINUE MY CLB BY 17000 FT MSL. SHORTLY AFTER; I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT DENVER AFTER LNDG AND WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER. I TOLD THE CTLR I WAS DEALING WITH A PROB AND WAS DISTR AT THE TIME FROM MAINTAINING THE ASSIGNED ALT. AFTER LNDG; I CALLED DENVER AND TALKED TO A QUALITY ASSURANCE PERSON ABOUT THE SIT. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT (A LEARJET; HDG TO CENTENNIAL; APA) WBOUND AT 13000 FT MSL. HE TOLD ME THAT THE ACFT CAME WITHIN 1 MI OF MY ACFT. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS NEVER INFORMED OR WARNED ABOUT THE OTHER ACFT. I ALSO QUESTIONED HIM WHY THE CTLR DIDN'T WARN ME ABOUT MY ALTDEV PRIOR TO REACHING 13000 FT. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A PENDING EMER AND WAS DISTR FROM MY ASSIGNED ALT. HE ASKED ME ABOUT MY AUTOPLT AND TCAS. I TOLD HIM THAT THIS METRO DOESN'T HAVE AUTOPLT EQUIP AND THE ACFT I WAS FLYING IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY ACFT RADAR LIKE TCAS. EVEN THOUGH A DEV FROM THE ASSIGNED ALT DURING A PENDING EMER SIT OCCURRED; I BELIEVE THE CTLR SHOULD HAD INFORMED ME OF THE OTHER ACFT IN MY VICINITY AND ALSO WARNED ME ABOUT MY ALTDEV PRIOR TO MY ACFT REACHING 13000 FT.

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.