Narrative:

I was climbing to cleared altitude of 27000'. First officer called out '26 for 27.' I acknowledged his call. The next sound was the altitude alert sounding as I went through 27300'. Immediately started push over, but aircraft went on up to about 27450' before altitude started decreasing toward 27000'. At 27150' ATC cleared us to 37000'. Contributing factors: anticipating clearance to 37000', first officer checking his flight plan at level off altitude. Also allowing turmoil in company to distract me. Very difficult to keep mind on job while company preaches safety, but does everything possible, through fuel monitoring programs, sick leave counseling, contract negotiation dragging on for over a yr with absolutely no progress, groups of pilots being paid over $80000 while other with same seniority being paid $26000 for same job, some pilots being given more favorable treatment by company for gross errors of judgement while others are fired for trifling reasons. This situation is most stressful to say the least and requires total concentration to prevent it from encroaching on one's mind. It's just at those moments when all is quiet that these issues come barging into your thoughts and 'bingo,' you have a problem. Do you ground yourself, quit or fight? Stress is not a word in our management's vocabulary. I fear it may only be recognized as a problem after some disaster caused by these unnecessary distrs in the cockpit occurs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB.

Narrative: I WAS CLBING TO CLRED ALT OF 27000'. F/O CALLED OUT '26 FOR 27.' I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS CALL. THE NEXT SOUND WAS THE ALT ALERT SOUNDING AS I WENT THROUGH 27300'. IMMEDIATELY STARTED PUSH OVER, BUT ACFT WENT ON UP TO ABOUT 27450' BEFORE ALT STARTED DECREASING TOWARD 27000'. AT 27150' ATC CLRED US TO 37000'. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ANTICIPATING CLRNC TO 37000', F/O CHKING HIS FLT PLAN AT LEVEL OFF ALT. ALSO ALLOWING TURMOIL IN COMPANY TO DISTRACT ME. VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP MIND ON JOB WHILE COMPANY PREACHES SAFETY, BUT DOES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, THROUGH FUEL MONITORING PROGRAMS, SICK LEAVE COUNSELING, CONTRACT NEGOTIATION DRAGGING ON FOR OVER A YR WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PROGRESS, GROUPS OF PLTS BEING PAID OVER $80000 WHILE OTHER WITH SAME SENIORITY BEING PAID $26000 FOR SAME JOB, SOME PLTS BEING GIVEN MORE FAVORABLE TREATMENT BY COMPANY FOR GROSS ERRORS OF JUDGEMENT WHILE OTHERS ARE FIRED FOR TRIFLING REASONS. THIS SITUATION IS MOST STRESSFUL TO SAY THE LEAST AND REQUIRES TOTAL CONCENTRATION TO PREVENT IT FROM ENCROACHING ON ONE'S MIND. IT'S JUST AT THOSE MOMENTS WHEN ALL IS QUIET THAT THESE ISSUES COME BARGING INTO YOUR THOUGHTS AND 'BINGO,' YOU HAVE A PROB. DO YOU GND YOURSELF, QUIT OR FIGHT? STRESS IS NOT A WORD IN OUR MGMNT'S VOCABULARY. I FEAR IT MAY ONLY BE RECOGNIZED AS A PROB AFTER SOME DISASTER CAUSED BY THESE UNNECESSARY DISTRS IN THE COCKPIT OCCURS.

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.