Narrative:

While on a radar vector departure from vny our turbo jet was assigned an initial altitude of 4000' MSL. 1000' prior to level off (3000') while in a turn to a heading of approximately 255 degrees we received a traffic advisory at our 10 O'clock position, 5000' MSL, small transport. Both crew members attention was momentarily diverted looking for traffic. I heard our altitude horn. I (as sic) was about to call '1000' to go when I noted (along with the PIC) we were 300' high (4300'). As sic I was communicating with bur approach and had not heard the first altitude horn for the '1000' to go callout. I called traffic in sight. Bur advised our aircraft to maintain visual sep and climb to 8000' MSL. The controller advised us of being above 4000' and had a readout on us of 4400' MSL. We acknowledged and continued our climb. At 7000' MSL traffic was reported at 2 O'clock, 9000' (type not known). Again I looked to identify the aircraft visually, heard an altitude horn, went to call '1000' to go and again we were 300' high at 8300' MSL. Apparently communications during the early horn warning wasn't heard by me due to controller communications above the traffic advisory. The rest of the flight was uneventful. In both cases, flying in a high density traffic area, attention was diverted looking for traffic by the flight crew and subsequently missed level off assignments. A suggestion could be for ATC during an aircraft climb, when issuing a traffic advisory to also restate assigned altitude as a reminder. This would be helpful when attention of the flight crew is diverted to look for traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX LTT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMBOUT FROM VNY RESULTS IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION AND AN AMENDED CLRNC TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION.

Narrative: WHILE ON A RADAR VECTOR DEP FROM VNY OUR TURBO JET WAS ASSIGNED AN INITIAL ALT OF 4000' MSL. 1000' PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF (3000') WHILE IN A TURN TO A HDG OF APPROX 255 DEGS WE RECEIVED A TFC ADVISORY AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS, 5000' MSL, SMT. BOTH CREW MEMBERS ATTN WAS MOMENTARILY DIVERTED LOOKING FOR TFC. I HEARD OUR ALT HORN. I (AS SIC) WAS ABOUT TO CALL '1000' TO GO WHEN I NOTED (ALONG WITH THE PIC) WE WERE 300' HIGH (4300'). AS SIC I WAS COMMUNICATING WITH BUR APCH AND HAD NOT HEARD THE FIRST ALT HORN FOR THE '1000' TO GO CALLOUT. I CALLED TFC IN SIGHT. BUR ADVISED OUR ACFT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEP AND CLB TO 8000' MSL. THE CTLR ADVISED US OF BEING ABOVE 4000' AND HAD A READOUT ON US OF 4400' MSL. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND CONTINUED OUR CLB. AT 7000' MSL TFC WAS RPTED AT 2 O'CLOCK, 9000' (TYPE NOT KNOWN). AGAIN I LOOKED TO IDENT THE ACFT VISUALLY, HEARD AN ALT HORN, WENT TO CALL '1000' TO GO AND AGAIN WE WERE 300' HIGH AT 8300' MSL. APPARENTLY COMS DURING THE EARLY HORN WARNING WASN'T HEARD BY ME DUE TO CTLR COMS ABOVE THE TFC ADVISORY. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. IN BOTH CASES, FLYING IN A HIGH DENSITY TFC AREA, ATTN WAS DIVERTED LOOKING FOR TFC BY THE FLT CREW AND SUBSEQUENTLY MISSED LEVEL OFF ASSIGNMENTS. A SUGGESTION COULD BE FOR ATC DURING AN ACFT CLB, WHEN ISSUING A TFC ADVISORY TO ALSO RESTATE ASSIGNED ALT AS A REMINDER. THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL WHEN ATTN OF THE FLT CREW IS DIVERTED TO LOOK FOR TFC.

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.