Narrative:

I was the first officer. We do this, climbing or descending to an altitude, probably 10000 times a year and never miss. This time we missed by 300', ie, 2300' and frankly would have likely continued to climb if jax center had not called us. With all the things to do, we usually get it right. We goofed, it was our fault. However, there are a couple of things which I believed contributed: when we were 'cleared on course.' this phrase seems to carry with it much more weight than simply a heading change of 20 degrees. As I recall it, the takeoff instruction was: 'cleared for takeoff, climb on course.' this almost inviting a mistake. If the tower is serious about it, they could have said, 'cleared for takeoff, fly heading 020 degrees, maintain 2000'.' 'climb on course' gives one the impression that the altitude limitations no long apply, though I realize this is not technically true. I have to believe something was different, as we have never, at least in the last year, missed an altitude. While I blame no one but myself, I still feel as if I were lead into it. Prevention: make direction and altitude a part of every takeoff clearance issued by the tower. Note: at csg I nearly always have to ask tower controller if he wants us to fly runway heading or turn on course as the clearance is always given as: 'io, cleared for takeoff.' pilots are tired, and the regulations allow this. It is amazing to me that the regulations do not seriously address the problem of total duty time. Generally, 8 hours of flight time is allowed in a 24 hour period. But it can, and usually does, take 12-14 hours to fly an 8 hour flight time duty day. To compound the problem, with 8 hours rest, the pilot can be sent out again for another 12-14 hour duty day. How would like for your family to be on the flight where the pilots were at the end of their third 14 hour duty day in a row shooting the approach to minimums, in moderate turbulence with an engine out. It's ridiculous. Prevention: I realize that some flts require more than 12-14 hour duty days, ie transoceanic, etc, but what about this--for all flts having more than 4 takeoffs and lndgs, the duty day may not exceed 10 hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINT ABOUT FAA FLT TIME DUTY TIME REG. FLT CREW HAD ALT DEVIATION, CLIMBED PAST 2000' TO 2300'.

Narrative: I WAS THE F/O. WE DO THIS, CLBING OR DSNDING TO AN ALT, PROBABLY 10000 TIMES A YEAR AND NEVER MISS. THIS TIME WE MISSED BY 300', IE, 2300' AND FRANKLY WOULD HAVE LIKELY CONTINUED TO CLB IF JAX CENTER HAD NOT CALLED US. WITH ALL THE THINGS TO DO, WE USUALLY GET IT RIGHT. WE GOOFED, IT WAS OUR FAULT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS WHICH I BELIEVED CONTRIBUTED: WHEN WE WERE 'CLRED ON COURSE.' THIS PHRASE SEEMS TO CARRY WITH IT MUCH MORE WEIGHT THAN SIMPLY A HDG CHANGE OF 20 DEGS. AS I RECALL IT, THE TKOF INSTRUCTION WAS: 'CLRED FOR TKOF, CLB ON COURSE.' THIS ALMOST INVITING A MISTAKE. IF THE TWR IS SERIOUS ABOUT IT, THEY COULD HAVE SAID, 'CLRED FOR TKOF, FLY HDG 020 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2000'.' 'CLB ON COURSE' GIVES ONE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE ALT LIMITATIONS NO LONG APPLY, THOUGH I REALIZE THIS IS NOT TECHNICALLY TRUE. I HAVE TO BELIEVE SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT, AS WE HAVE NEVER, AT LEAST IN THE LAST YEAR, MISSED AN ALT. WHILE I BLAME NO ONE BUT MYSELF, I STILL FEEL AS IF I WERE LEAD INTO IT. PREVENTION: MAKE DIRECTION AND ALT A PART OF EVERY TKOF CLRNC ISSUED BY THE TWR. NOTE: AT CSG I NEARLY ALWAYS HAVE TO ASK TWR CTLR IF HE WANTS US TO FLY RWY HDG OR TURN ON COURSE AS THE CLRNC IS ALWAYS GIVEN AS: 'IO, CLRED FOR TKOF.' PLTS ARE TIRED, AND THE REGS ALLOW THIS. IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT THE REGS DO NOT SERIOUSLY ADDRESS THE PROB OF TOTAL DUTY TIME. GENERALLY, 8 HRS OF FLT TIME IS ALLOWED IN A 24 HR PERIOD. BUT IT CAN, AND USUALLY DOES, TAKE 12-14 HRS TO FLY AN 8 HR FLT TIME DUTY DAY. TO COMPOUND THE PROB, WITH 8 HRS REST, THE PLT CAN BE SENT OUT AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 12-14 HR DUTY DAY. HOW WOULD LIKE FOR YOUR FAMILY TO BE ON THE FLT WHERE THE PLTS WERE AT THE END OF THEIR THIRD 14 HR DUTY DAY IN A ROW SHOOTING THE APCH TO MINIMUMS, IN MODERATE TURB WITH AN ENG OUT. IT'S RIDICULOUS. PREVENTION: I REALIZE THAT SOME FLTS REQUIRE MORE THAN 12-14 HR DUTY DAYS, IE TRANSOCEANIC, ETC, BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS--FOR ALL FLTS HAVING MORE THAN 4 TKOFS AND LNDGS, THE DUTY DAY MAY NOT EXCEED 10 HRS.

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.