Narrative:

This was a flight from cos to ALS, co. It was night with a relatively high ceiling, but with verga in the area. Inexperienced first officer who qualified only 1 month prior to this occurrence. I do not know her total IFR time in aircraft type. My mind was on many things--her ability, the WX, a problem that arose with the MEL and deferring of fuel quantity gauges, and traffic that may be dodging the verga in the area to remain VMC. I was watching for traffic and the WX when my first officer noted her mistake. At the same time ATC again stated our assigned altitude (11000'). I looked at my altimeter to see us 600' high (11600'). ATC then cleared us to 14000'. I had to look fairly close at my altimeter since the upper right hand portion is shaded because of the position of the post light. This, and the concern for VFR traffic is why I missed the 1000' callout and altitude call. The lighting in the small transport, at least ours, is the worst I have ever seen. It was just a matter of time before I missed an altitude that fell within that upper right portion. I believe my first officer was concentrating on keeping the aircraft under control in the light-moderate chop we were experiencing because of her experience level in the aircraft, and simply forgot the assigned altitude. I wish more could be done to improve lighting in older aircraft to prevent shadows and glare. Also, with the importance of maintaining your altitude in these increasingly crowded skies, an altitude warning device requirement that would be relatively inexpensive may help these older aircraft since most modern aircraft already have them installed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT OVERSHOT ALT ON CLIMB.

Narrative: THIS WAS A FLT FROM COS TO ALS, CO. IT WAS NIGHT WITH A RELATIVELY HIGH CEILING, BUT WITH VERGA IN THE AREA. INEXPERIENCED F/O WHO QUALIFIED ONLY 1 MONTH PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE. I DO NOT KNOW HER TOTAL IFR TIME IN ACFT TYPE. MY MIND WAS ON MANY THINGS--HER ABILITY, THE WX, A PROB THAT AROSE WITH THE MEL AND DEFERRING OF FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES, AND TFC THAT MAY BE DODGING THE VERGA IN THE AREA TO REMAIN VMC. I WAS WATCHING FOR TFC AND THE WX WHEN MY F/O NOTED HER MISTAKE. AT THE SAME TIME ATC AGAIN STATED OUR ASSIGNED ALT (11000'). I LOOKED AT MY ALTIMETER TO SEE US 600' HIGH (11600'). ATC THEN CLRED US TO 14000'. I HAD TO LOOK FAIRLY CLOSE AT MY ALTIMETER SINCE THE UPPER RIGHT HAND PORTION IS SHADED BECAUSE OF THE POS OF THE POST LIGHT. THIS, AND THE CONCERN FOR VFR TFC IS WHY I MISSED THE 1000' CALLOUT AND ALT CALL. THE LIGHTING IN THE SMT, AT LEAST OURS, IS THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN. IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I MISSED AN ALT THAT FELL WITHIN THAT UPPER RIGHT PORTION. I BELIEVE MY F/O WAS CONCENTRATING ON KEEPING THE ACFT UNDER CTL IN THE LIGHT-MODERATE CHOP WE WERE EXPERIENCING BECAUSE OF HER EXPERIENCE LEVEL IN THE ACFT, AND SIMPLY FORGOT THE ASSIGNED ALT. I WISH MORE COULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE LIGHTING IN OLDER ACFT TO PREVENT SHADOWS AND GLARE. ALSO, WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING YOUR ALT IN THESE INCREASINGLY CROWDED SKIES, AN ALT WARNING DEVICE REQUIREMENT THAT WOULD BE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE MAY HELP THESE OLDER ACFT SINCE MOST MODERN ACFT ALREADY HAVE THEM INSTALLED.

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.