Altitude overshot on climbout. Captain turned off modc C during overshoot.

Attributes
ACN	80829
Time
Date	198801
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 530
ASRS Report	80829
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was my first leg from ewr to bwi. We were clrd for takeoff and executed the standard SID, right to 060 degrees and up to 2500'. Once reaching this altitude we were told to turn left to 340 degrees and up to 4000'. I was climbing as fast as allowable to get out of the turbulence. Approaching 3500' the captain went to company frequency and left the radios and the airplane to me. At this point one of the friction locks worked loose and the speed (propellers) went way out of sync. At this point we are supposed to be at 100% RPM. One propeller went to 101 degrees, the other back to 97%. The captain stayed on company and offered no assistance. So, I tried to adjust them myself. Dealing with this in turbulence was a little too much and I went through 4000'. The captain noticed and switched the mode C off and I reduced power and got back to our 4000'. I busted by 400'. The controller called traffic at 1 O'clock and 5 mi at 5000'. I already had this traffic in sight. She again told us to maintain 4000'. I did bust the altitude, but the captain should have been inside the airplane, not looking out the window and talking to company. Company operations states that the company calls are not to be made until outside of the air traffic area. 1 1/2 mi out is a little hasty for me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT ON CLIMBOUT. CAPT TURNED OFF MODC C DURING OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: IT WAS MY FIRST LEG FROM EWR TO BWI. WE WERE CLRD FOR TKOF AND EXECUTED THE STANDARD SID, RIGHT TO 060 DEGS AND UP TO 2500'. ONCE REACHING THIS ALT WE WERE TOLD TO TURN LEFT TO 340 DEGS AND UP TO 4000'. I WAS CLBING AS FAST AS ALLOWABLE TO GET OUT OF THE TURBULENCE. APCHING 3500' THE CAPT WENT TO COMPANY FREQ AND LEFT THE RADIOS AND THE AIRPLANE TO ME. AT THIS POINT ONE OF THE FRICTION LOCKS WORKED LOOSE AND THE SPD (PROPS) WENT WAY OUT OF SYNC. AT THIS POINT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 100% RPM. ONE PROP WENT TO 101 DEGS, THE OTHER BACK TO 97%. THE CAPT STAYED ON COMPANY AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. SO, I TRIED TO ADJUST THEM MYSELF. DEALING WITH THIS IN TURBULENCE WAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH AND I WENT THROUGH 4000'. THE CAPT NOTICED AND SWITCHED THE MODE C OFF AND I REDUCED PWR AND GOT BACK TO OUR 4000'. I BUSTED BY 400'. THE CTLR CALLED TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 5 MI AT 5000'. I ALREADY HAD THIS TFC IN SIGHT. SHE AGAIN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 4000'. I DID BUST THE ALT, BUT THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSIDE THE AIRPLANE, NOT LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND TALKING TO COMPANY. COMPANY OPERATIONS STATES THAT THE COMPANY CALLS ARE NOT TO BE MADE UNTIL OUTSIDE OF THE ATA. 1 1/2 MI OUT IS A LITTLE HASTY FOR ME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.